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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  93. This Lady’s Cruelty

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

Sir Philip Sidney. 1554–86

93. This Lady’s Cruelty

WITH how sad steps, O moon, thou climb’st the skies! 
How silently, and with how wan a face! 
What! may it be that even in heavenly place 
That busy archer his sharp arrows tries? 
Sure, if that long-with-love-acquainted eyes         5
Can judge of love, thou feel’st a lover’s case: 
I read it in thy looks; thy languish’d grace 
To me, that feel the like, thy state descries. 
Then, even of fellowship, O Moon, tell me, 
Is constant love deem’d there but want of wit?  10
Are beauties there as proud as here they be? 
Do they above love to be loved, and yet 
  Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess? 
  Do they call ‘virtue’ there—ungratefulness?