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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  462. The Complaint

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

Mark Akenside. 1721–1770

462. The Complaint

      AWAY! away! 
  Tempt me no more, insidious Love: 
      Thy soothing sway 
  Long did my youthful bosom prove: 
  At length thy treason is discern’d,         5
  At length some dear-bought caution earn’d: 
Away! nor hope my riper age to move. 
 
      I know, I see 
  Her merit. Needs it now be shown, 
      Alas! to me?  10
  How often, to myself unknown, 
  The graceful, gentle, virtuous maid 
  Have I admired! How often said— 
What joy to call a heart like hers one’s own! 
 
      But, flattering god,  15
  O squanderer of content and ease 
      In thy abode 
  Will care’s rude lesson learn to please? 
  O say, deceiver, hast thou won 
  Proud Fortune to attend thy throne,  20
Or placed thy friends above her stern decrees?