LOVE and my mistress were at strife Who had the greatest power on me: Betwixt them both, oh, what a life! Nay, what a death is this to be! She said, she did it with her eye; He said, he did it with his dart; Betwixt them both (a silly wretch!) 'Tis I that have the wounded heart. She said, she only spake the word That did enchant my peering sense; He said, he only gave the sound That enter'd heart without defence. She said, her beauty was the mark That did amaze the highest mind; He said, he only made the mist Whereby the senses grew so blind. She said, that only for her sake, The best would venture life and limb: He said, she was too much deceiv'd; They honour'd her because of him. Long while, alas, she would not yield, But it was she that rul'd the roast; Until by proof, she did confess, If he were gone, her joy was lost. And then she cried, "Oh, dainty love, I now do find it is for thee, That I am lov'd and honour'd both, And thou hast power to conquer me." But, when I heard her yield to love, Oh! how my heart did leap for joy! That now I had some little hope To have an end to mine annoy! But, as too soon, before the field The trumpets sound the overthrow, So all too soon I joy'd too much, For I awaked, and nothing saw. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE QUESTION by WILFRID WILSON GIBSON THE SONG OF SHERMAN'S ARMY by CHARLES GRAHAM HALPINE THE WARNING by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW CUPID AND CAMPASPE, FR. ALEXANDER AND CAMPASPE by JOHN LYLY THE PRINCESS: SONG by ALFRED TENNYSON |