romantic poems

I know, within my mouth, for bashful fear
And dread of your disdain, my words will die;
I know I shall be stricken dumb, my dear,
With doubt of your unpitiful reply.
I know, whenas I shall before you lie
Prostrate and humble, craving help of you,
Misty aspects will cloud your sun-bright eye,
And scornful looks o'ershade your beauty's hue.
I know, when I shall plead my love so true,
So stainless, constant, loyal, and upright,
My truthful pleadings will not cause you rue
The ne'er-heard state of my distressid plight.

My recollectest thoughts are those
—Which I remember yet;
And bearing on, as you'd suppose,
—The things I don't forget.

But my resemblest thoughts are less
—Alike than they should be;
A state of things, as you'll confess,
—You very seldom see.

And yet the mostest thought I love
—Is what no one believes—
That I'm the sole survivor of
—The famous Forty Thieves!

Alas! if I think of her, my throat becomes
dry, my hand falls back, my breasts harden and
hurt, and I shiver and I cry as I walk. If I
see her, my heart stops and my hands tremble,
my feet freeze, a redness of flame rises to my
cheeks, my temples beat in agony. If I touch
her, I grow mad, my arms stiffen and my knees
give under me. I fall before her, and I go to
my bed like a woman who is going to die. I feel
I am wounded by every word she speaks. Her love
is a torture, and those who pass by hear my

The storm lasted all night. Selenis, with her lovely
hair, came to spin with me. She stayed for fear of
the mud, and we filled my little bed, clasped close
to each other. When two girls go to bed together, sleep
stays at the door. " Bilitis, tell me, tell me, whom
do you love?" To caress me softly she slipped her leg
over mine. And over my mouth she said: " Bilitis, I
know whom you love. Shut your eyes. I am Lycas!"
I answered, touching her: " Can I not see that you
are a girl? Your pleasantry is out of place." But

To CASTARA.

What Lovers will say when she and he are dead.

I wonder when w'are dead, what men will say;
 Will not poore Orphan Lovers weepe,
 The parents of their Loves decay;
And envy death the treasure of our sleepe?
Will not each trembling Virgin bring her feares
 To th' holy silence of my Vrne?
 And chide the Marble with her teares,
'Cause she so soone faith's obsequie must mourne.
For had Fate spar'd but Araphill (she'le say)
 He had the great example stood,
 And forc't unconstant man obey

The harmony of Love.

Amphion , O thou holy shade!
 Bring Orpheus up with thee:
That wonder may you both invade,
 Hearing Loves harmony.
You who are soule, not rudely made
 Vp, with Materiall eares,
Are fit to reach the musique of these spheares.
Harke! when Castara's orbs doe move
 By my first moving eyes,
How great the Symphony of Love,
 But 'tis the destinies
Will not so farre my prayer approve,
 To bring you hither, here
Lest you meete heaven, for Elizium there.
Tis no dull Sublunary flame

To CASTARA.

Of the knowledge of Love.

Where sleepes the North-wind when the South inspires
Life in the spring, and gathers into quires
The scatter'd Nightingales; whose subtle eares
Heard first th' harmonious language of the Spheares;
Whence hath the stone Magneticke force t' allure
Th' enamourd iron; From a seed impure
Or naturall did first the Mandrake grow;
What powre ith' Ocean makes it ebbe and flow;
What strange materials is the azure skye
Compacted of; of what its brightest eye

Loves Aniversarie

To the Sunne.

Thou art return'd (great Light) to that blest houre
In which I first by marriage sacred power,
Ioyn'd with Castara hearts: And as the same
Thy lustre is, as then, so is our flame:
Which had increast, but that by loves decree,
'Twas such at first, it ne're could greater be.
But tell me (glorious Lampe) in thy survey,
Of things below thee, what did not decay
By age to weakenesse? I since that have seene
The Rose bud forth and fade, the tree grow greene

To CASTARA,

Vpon the mutuall love of their Majesties.

Did you not see, Castara , when the King
Met his lov'd Queene; what sweetnesse she did bring
T' incounter his brave heat; how great a flame
From their brests meeting, on the sudden came?
The Stoike, who all easie passion flies,
Could he but heare the language of their eyes,
As heresies would from his faith remove
The tenets of his sect, and practise love.
The barb'rous nations which supply the earth

To CASTARA.

Of the chastity of his Love.

Why would you blush Castara , when the name
Of love you heare? who never felt his flame,
Ith' shade of melancholly night doth stray,
A blind Cymmerian banisht from the day.
Let's chastly love Castara , and not soyle
This Virgin lampe, by powring in the oyle
Of impure thoughts. O let us sympathize,
And onely talke ith' language of our eyes,
Like two starres in conjunction. But beware
Lest th' Angels who of love compacted are,