Heaven and earth, and all that hear me plain, Do well perceive what care doth cause me cry, Save you alone, to whom I cry in vain, "Mercy! Madame, alas! I die, I die!' If that you sleep, I humbly you require Forbear a while, and let your rigour slake; Since that by you I burn thus in this fire, To hear my plaint, dear heart, awake! awake! Since that so oft ye have made me to wake In plaint and tears, and in right piteous case, Displease you not, if force do now me make To break your sleep, crying "Alas! alas!' It is the last trouble that you shall have Of me, Madame, to hear my last complaint; Pity at last your poor unhappy slave, For in despair, alas! I faint, I faint. It is not now, but long and long ago, I have you served, as to my power and might, As faithfully as any man might do, Claiming of you nothing of right, of right; Save of your grace only to stay my life That fleeth as fast as cloud afore the wind, For, since that first I entered in this strife, An inward death hath fret my mind, my mind. If I had suffered this, to you unaware, Mine were the fault and you nothing to blame, But since you know my woe and all my care, Why do I die? Alas! for shame, for shame. I know right well my face, my look, my tears, Mine eyes, my words, and eke my dreary cheer Have cried my death full oft unto your ears. Hard of belief, it doth appear, appear. A better proof I see that ye would have, How I am dead; therefore, when ye hear tell, Believe it not, although ye see my grave. Cruel, unkind! I say farewell! farewell! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ELEGY: 11. THE BRACELET; UPON THE LOSS OF HIS MISTRESS'S CHAIN by JOHN DONNE THE BOOK [OF THE WORLD] by WILLIAM DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN THEN AND NOW by JEAN JACQUES ANTOINE AMPERE THE ORPHAN'S COMPLAINT by ANNABEL HANNA BANES VERSES TO A YOUNG FRIEND by BERNARD BARTON TO NIMUE by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT |