Astrophel and Stella: 50

Astrophel and Stella: 50

Original Text
The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia written by Sir Philip Sidney, Knight. Now the third time published with sundry new additions of the same author. Edinburgh: Printed by Robert Walde-graue, 1599. STC 22542.
1Stella, the fulnesse of my thoughts of thee
2Cannot be staid within my panting brest,
3But they do swell and struggle forth of me,
4Till that in words thy figure be exprest.
5And yet as soone as they so formed be,
6According to my Lord Loues owne behest:
7With sad eyes I their weake proportion see,
8To portrait that which in this world is best.
9So that I cannot chuse but write my mind,
10And cannot chuse but put out that I write,
11While these poore babes their death in birth do find:
12And now my pen these lines had dashed quite,
13But that they stopt his furie from the same,
14Because their forefront bare sweet Stellas name.

Notes

8] to portrait: to portray Back to Line
14] terminal comma changed to a period Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1591
RPO poem Editors
Marc R. Plamondon
RPO Edition
2007
Form
sonnet