I I LOVE thee and I love thee not, I love thee, yet I'd rather not, All of thee, yet I know not what. A flowery eye as tender, A swan-like neck as slender, And on it a brown little spot For tears to fall afraid on, And kisses to be paid on, Have other maidens too. Then why love I, love, none but you? If I could find the reason why, Methinks my love would quickly die. II. Ay, knew I how to hate thee, maid, I'd hate thee for I knew not what, Excepting that I'd rather not Be thy friend or foeman; For thou'rt the only woman, On whom to think my heart's afraid; For, it I would abhor thee, The more must I long for thee. What others force me to, I turn me from; why not from you? If I could find the reason why, Methinks my love would quickly die. III. Yet should'st thou cease my heart to move To longings, that I'd rather not, And tried I hate, I know not what My heart would do for mourning; Love I,—it bursts, love scorning. O loveliest hate, most hateful love, This combat and endeavour Is what enslaves me ever. I'll neither of the two, Or hate or love the love of you. And now I've found the reason why, I know my love can never die. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPRINGTIME by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON STUDY FOR A GEOGRAPHICAL TRAIL; 5. MARYLAND by CLARENCE MAJOR A DAY IN BED by KATHERINE MANSFIELD SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: TOM MERRITT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS BALLADE OF DEAD FRIENDS by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON GOOD-BYE DOROTHY GAYLE: THE ROAD TO BUFFALO by KAREN SWENSON |