The Works of Abraham Cowley/Volume 2/Love given over

by Abraham Cowley

LOVE GIVEN OVER.

It is enough; enough of time and pain
Hast thou consum'd in vain;
Leave, wretched Cowley! leave
Thyself with shadows to deceive;
Think that already lost which thou must never gain.

Three of thy lustiest and thy freshest years
(Toss'd in storms of hopes and fears)
Like helpless ships that be
Set on fire i' th' midst o' the sea,
Have all been burnt in love, and all been drown'd
in tears.

Resolve then on it, and by force or art
Free thy unlucky heart;
Since Fate does disapprove
Th' ambition of thy love,
And not one star in heaven offers to take thy part.

If e'er I clear my heart from this desire,
If e'er it home to its breast retire,
It ne'er shall wander more about,
Though thousand beauties call it out:
A lover burnt like me for ever dreads the fire.

The pox, the plague, and every small disease,
May come as oft as ill-fate please;
But death and love are never found
To give a second wound,
We 're by those serpents bit, but we 're devour'd by these.

Alas! what comfort is 't that I am grown
Secure of being again o'erthrown?
Since such an enemy needs not fear
Lest any else should quarter there,
Who has not only sack'd, but quite burnt down, the town.

 

---

---