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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


IN ALLUSION TO THE FRENCH SONG 'N'ETENDEZ VOUS PAS CE LANGUAGE' by RICHARD LOVELACE

Poet Analysis

First Line: HOW OFTEN HAVE MY TEARS
Last Line: THIS LANGUAGE WANTS BOTH TONGUE AND VOICE.

@3Chorus. Then understand you not, fair choice,
This language without tongue or voice?@1
How often have my tears
Invaded your soft ears,
And dropp'd their silent chimes
A thousand thousand times,
Whilst Echo did your eyes,
And sweetly sympathize;
But that the wary lid
Their sluices did forbid!

@3Chorus. Then understand you not, fair choice,
This language without tongue or voice?@1
My arms did plead my wound,
Each in the other bound;
Volleys of sighs did crowd,
And ring my griefs aloud;
Groans, like a cannon ball,
Batter'd the marble wall,
That the kind neighb'ring grove
Did mutiny for love.

@3Chorus. Then understand you not, fair choice,
This language without tongue or voice?@1

The rhet'ric of my hand
Woo'd you to understand;
Nay, in our silent walk
My very feet would talk,
My knees were eloquent,
And spake the love I meant;
But deaf unto that air,
They, bent, would fall in prayer.

@3Chorus. Yet understand you not, fair choice;
This language without tongue or voice?@1

No? Know then, I would melt
On every limb I felt,
And on each naked part
Spread my expanded heart,
That not a vein of thee
But should be fill'd with me;
Whilst on thine own down I
Would tumble, pant, and die.
@3Chorus. You understand not this, fair choice;
This language wants both tongue and voice.@1



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