Light rage and grief, limbs of unperfect love, By overacting ever lose their ends, For grief while it would good affection move, With self-affliction doth deface her friends, Putting on poor weak pity's pale reflection, Whereas goodwill is stirred with good complexion. Rage, again fond of her inflamed desire, Desire which conquers best by close invasion, Forgetting light and heat live in one fire, So overblows the temper of occasion, That scorched with heat, by light discovered, Untimely born is, and untimely dead. Poor fools, why strive you then since all hearts feel That idle chance so governs in affection, As Cupid cannot turn his fatal wheel, Nor in his own orb banish her election? Then teach desire, hope, not rage, fear, grief, Powers as unapt to take, as give relief. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ROARING FROST by ALICE MEYNELL THE AFTER WOMAN by FRANCIS THOMPSON THANKS BE TO GOD by JANIE ALFORD THE COWARD by LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA HIS HEART, INTO A BIRD by PHILIP AYRES SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 43. ONE CHANCE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE FLOWER GIRL (REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE) by WILLIAM ROSE BENET |