I LOVE that's loved from day to day Loves itself into decay: He that eats one daily fruit Shrivels hunger at the root. Daily pleasure grows a task; Daily smiles become a mask. Daily growth of unpruned strength Expands to feebleness at length. Daily increase thronging fast Must devour itself at last. Daily shining, even content Would with itself grow discontent; And the sun's life witnesseth Daily dying is not death. So Love loved from day to day Loves itself into decay. II Love to daily uses wed Shall be sweetly perfected. Life by repetition grows Unto its appointed close: Day to day fulfils one year -- Shall not Love by Love wax dear? All piles by repetition rise -- Shall not then Love's edifice? Shall not Love, too, learn his writ, Like Wisdom, by repeating it? By the oft-repeated use All perfections gain their thews; And so, with daily uses wed, Love, too, shall be perfected. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BABIE by JEREMIAH EAMES RANKIN ALFRED THE HARPER by JOHN STERLING (1806-1844) A PUBLIC DANCE by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS THE CAUTIOUS HOUSEHOLDER by ANAXILAS THE DIFFERENCE by ANGELO PHILIP BERTOCCI |