Abraham Cowley (1618-1667)
The Given Heart
1I wonder what those lovers mean, who say
2 They have giv'n their hearts away.
3 Some good kind lover tell me how;
4For mine is but a torment to me now.
5 If so it be one place both hearts contain,
6 For what do they complain?
7 What courtesy can Love do more,
8Than to join hearts that parted were before?
9 Woe to her stubborn heart, if once mine come
10 Into the self-same room;
11 'Twill tear and blow up all within,
12Like a granado shot into a magazine.
13 Then shall Love keep the ashes, and torn parts,
14 Of both our broken hearts:
15 Shall out of both one new one make,
16From hers, th' allay; from mine, the metal take.
17 For of her heart he from the flames will find
18 But little left behind:
19 Mine only will remain entire;
20No dross was there, to perish in the fire.
Notes
12] granado: an explosive shell.
16] allay: alloy.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Abraham Cowley, The Mistresse (London: for Humphrey Mosely, 1647). Wing 6674.
First publication date:
1647
RPO poem editor: N. J. Endicott
RP edition: 2RP 1.451.
Recent editing: 4:2002/2/10
Rhyme: aabb
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