WHY should I ask perfection of thee, sweet, That have so little of mine own to bring? That thou art beautiful from head to feet -- Is that, beloved, such a little thing, That I should ask more of thee, and should fling Thy largesse from me, in a world like this, O generous giver of thy perfect kiss? Thou gavest me thy lips, thine eyes, thine hair; I brought thee worship -- was it not thy due? If thou art cruel -- still art thou not fair? Roses thou gavest -- shalt thou not bring rue? Alas! have I not brought thee sorrow too? How dare I face the future and its drouth, Missing that golden honeycomb thy mouth? Kiss and make up -- 'tis the wise ancient way; Back to my arms, O bountiful deep breast! No more of words that know not what they say; To kiss is wisdom -- folly all the rest. Dear loveliness so mercifully pressed Against my heart -- I shake with sudden fear To think -- to losing thee I came so near. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE POOR-HOUSE by SARA TEASDALE DUNS SCOTUS'S OXFORD by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS THYESTES, ACT 2: CHORUS by LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA THE AEOLIAN HARP; AT THE SURF INN by HERMAN MELVILLE A SOUL; A STUDY by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI AMORETTI: 75 by EDMUND SPENSER THE RIVER DUDDON: SONNET 34. AFTER-THOUGHT by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH CELESTIAL HEIGHTS by ALFRED AUSTIN THE SMUGGLER'S LEAP; A LEGEND OF THANET by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM |