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Home  »  The Poetical Works by Sir Thomas Wyatt  »  The absent Lover persuadeth himself that his Mistress will not have the power to forsake him

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503–42). The Poetical Works. 1880.

Rondeaux

The absent Lover persuadeth himself that his Mistress will not have the power to forsake him

IF it be so that I forsake thee,

As banished from thy company;

Yet my heart, my mind, and my affection,

Shall still remain in thy perfection,

And right as thou list so order me.

But some would say in their opinion,

Revolted is thy good intention.

Then may I well blame thy cruelty,

If it be so.

But myself I say on this fashion;

‘I have her heart in my possession,

And of itself cannot, perdie!

By no means love, an heartless body!’

And on my faith good is the reason,

If it be so.