A Defence of Poesie and Poems by Sir Philip Sidney
page 110 of 133 (82%)
page 110 of 133 (82%)
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O Pain! I now recant the praise I gave,
And swear she is not worthy thee to have. III. Thou pain, the only guest of loathed Constraint; The child of Curse, man's weakness foster-child; Brother to Woe, and father of Complaint: Thou Pain, thou hated Pain, from heaven exiled, How hold'st thou her whose eyes constraint doth fear, Whom cursed do bless; whose weakness virtues arm; Who others' woes and plaints can chastely bear: In whose sweet heaven angels of high thoughts swarm? What courage strange hath caught thy caitiff heart? Fear'st not a face that oft whole hearts devours? Or art thou from above bid play this part, And so no help 'gainst envy of those powers? If thus, alas, yet while those parts have woe; So stay her tongue, that she no more say, "O." IV. And have I heard her say, "O cruel pain!" And doth she know what mould her beauty bears? Mourns she in truth, and thinks that others feign? Fears she to feel, and feels not others' fears? Or doth she think all pain the mind forbears? That heavy earth, not fiery spirits, may plain? That eyes weep worse than heart in bloody tears? That sense feels more than what doth sense contain? |
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