FAIR copy of my Celia's face, Twin of my soul, thy perfect grace Claims in my love an equal place. Disdain not a divided heart, Though all be hers, you shall have part: Love is not ti'd to rules of art. For as my soul first to her flew, Yet stay'd with me, so now 'tis true It dwells with her, though fled to you. Then entertain this wand'ring guest, And if not love, allow it rest: It left not, but mistook, the nest. Nor think my love, or your fair eyes, Cheaper, 'cause from the sympathies You hold with her these flames arise. To lead or brass, or some such bad Metal, a prince's stamp may add That value which it never had; But to the pure refined ore The stamp of kings imparts no more Worth than the metal held before. Only the image gives the rate To subjects; in a foreign state 'Tis priz'd as much for its own weight. So though all other hearts resign To your pure worth, yet you have mine Only because you are her coin. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GROWING OLD by FRANCIS LEDWIDGE THE FALL OF RICHMOND [APRIL, 1865] by HERMAN MELVILLE DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY [OR, DAFFYDOWNDILLY] by MOTHER GOOSE ON THE BIRTH OF HIS SON by SU SHIH FIRST-DAY THOUGHTS by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 23. AL-KHAFIZ by EDWIN ARNOLD SELF-COMMUNING by CHARLES BAUDELAIRE PSALMS 71. PRAYER AND SONG OF THE AGED CHRISTIAN by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE |