Truth is love and love is truth, Either neither in good sooth: Truth is truth and love is love, Give us grace to taste thereof; But if truth offend my sweet, Then I will have none of it, And if love offend the other, Farewell truth, I will not bother. Happy truth when truth accords With the love in lovers' worlds! Harm not truth in any part, But keep its shadow from love's heart. Men must love, though lovers' lies Outpoll the stars in florid skies, And none may keep, and few can merit, The fond joy that they inherit. Who with love at his command Dares give truth a welcome hand? Believe it, or believe it not, 'Tis a lore most vainly got. Truth requites no penny-fee, Niggard's honey feeds no bee; Ere this trick of truth undo me, Little love, my love, come to me. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ILKA BLADE O' GRASS KEPS ITS AIN DRAP O' DEW by JAMES BALLANTYNE FRAGMENTS INTENDED FOR DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: A SUBTERRANEAN CITY by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES HYSTERIA by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT THE HAPPY LIFE by MARCUS VALERIUS MARTIALIS |