Whoever guesses, thinks, or dreams he knows Who is my mistress, wither by this curse; His only, and only his purse May some dull heart to love dispose, And she yield then to all that are his foes; May he be scorned by one, whom all else scorn, Forswear to others, what to her he hath sworn, With fear of missing, shamde of getting, torn: Madness his sorrow, gout his cramps, may he Make, by but thinking, who hath made him such: And may he feel no touch Of conscience, but of fame, and be Anguished not that 'twas sin, but that 'twas she: In early and long scarceness may he rot, For land which had been his, if he had not Himself incestuously an heir begot: May he dream treason, and believe, that he Meant to perform it, and confess, and die, And no record tell why: His sons, which none of his may be, Inherit nothing but his infamy: Or may he so long parasites have fed, That he would fain be theirs, whom he hath bred, And at the last be circumcised for bread: The venom of all stepdames, gamesters' gall, What tyrants, and their subjects interwish, What plants, mines, beasts, fowl, fish, Can contribute, all ill which all Prophets, or poets spake; and all which shall Be annexed in schedules unto this by me, Fall on that man; for if it be a she Nature before hand hath out-cursed me. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BURNING DAWN by HAYDEN CARRUTH BIRTHDAY POEM FOR THOMAS HARDY by CECIL DAY LEWIS HAIL TEESSIDE! by CECIL DAY LEWIS REPULSE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON SUPREME by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON |