LOVER: It burneth yet, alas, my heart's desire. LADY: What is the thing that hath inflamed thy heart? LOVER: A certain point, as fervent as the fire. LADY: The heat shall cease if that thou wilt convert. LOVER: I cannot stop the fervent raging ire. LADY: What may I do if thyself cause thy smart? LOVER: Hear my request and rue my weeping cheer. LADY: With right good will. Say on. Lo, I thee hear. LOVER: That thing would I that maketh two content. LADY: Thou seekest, perchance, of me that I may not. LOVER: Would God thou wouldst, as thou mayst well, assent. LADY: That I may not. Thy grief is mine, God wot. LOVER: But I it feel, whatso thy words have meant. LADY: Suspect me not. My words be not forgot. LOVER: Then say, alas, shall I have help or no? LADY: I see no time to answer. Yea. But no. LOVER: Say yea, dear heart, and stand no more in doubt. LADY: I may not grant a thing that is so dear. LOVER: Lo, with delays thou drives me still about. LADY: Thou wouldest my death. It plainly doth appear. LOVER: First may my heart his blood and life bleed out. LADY: Then for my sake, alas, thy will forbear. LOVER: From day to day thus wastes my life away. LADY: Yet, for the best, suffer some small delay. LOVER: Now, good, say yea. Do once so good a deed. LADY: If I said yea, what should thereof ensue? LOVER: An heart in pain, of succour so should speed. 'Twixt yea and nay my doubt shall still renew. My sweet, say yea and do away this dread. LADY: Thou wilt needs so. Be it so. But then be true. LOVER: Naught would I else, nor other treasure none. Thus hearts be won by love, request, and moan. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALEXANDER'S FEAST; OR, THE POWER OF MUSIC by JOHN DRYDEN A FAERY SONG, SUNG BY THE PEOPLE OF FAERY OVER DIARMUID by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS WITH COLORS GAY by HOWARD S. ABBOTT SEA-SONG by WILLIAM DRUMMOND BAKER PSALM 2 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE ON BEAU NASH'S PICTURE AT BATH by JANE (HUGHES) BRERETON PICKING SKULLS AT VERDUN by VINCENT GODFREY BURNS |