Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
William Cartwright. 16111643331. Falsehood
STILL do the stars impart their light | |
To those that travel in the night; | |
Still time runs on, nor doth the hand | |
Or shadow on the dial stand; | |
The streams still glide and constant are: | 5 |
Only thy mind | |
Untrue I find, | |
Which carelessly | |
Neglects to be | |
Like stream or shadow, hand or star. | 10 |
Fool that I am! I do recall | |
My words, and swear thou’rt like them all, | |
Thou seem’st like stars to nourish fire, | |
But O how cold is thy desire! | |
And like the hand upon the brass | 15 |
Thou point’st at me | |
In mockery; | |
If I come nigh | |
Shade-like thou’lt fly, | |
And as the stream with murmur pass. | 20 |