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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  330. To Chloe Who for his sake wished herself younger

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

William Cartwright. 1611–1643

330. To Chloe Who for his sake wished herself younger

THERE are two births; the one when light 
  First strikes the new awaken’d sense; 
The other when two souls unite, 
  And we must count our life from thence: 
When you loved me and I loved you         5
Then both of us were born anew. 
 
Love then to us new souls did give 
  And in those souls did plant new powers; 
Since when another life we live, 
  The breath we breathe is his, not ours:  10
Love makes those young whom age doth chill, 
And whom he finds young keeps young still.