To Mr. T. W. [Pregnant again with th'old twins, Hope and Fear...]
To Mr. T. W. [Pregnant again with th'old twins, Hope and Fear...]
Original Text
Donne, John. The Satires, Epigrams and Verse Letters of John Donne. Edited by W. Milgate. London: Oxford University Press, 1967: 61.
1Pregnant again with th' old twins, Hope and Fear,
2Oft have I asked for thee, both how and where
3Thou wert, and what my hopes of letters were;
4As in our streets sly beggars narrowly
5Watch motions of the giver's hand or eye,
6And evermore conceive some hope thereby.
7And now thy alms is given, thy letter is read,
8The body risen again, the which was dead,
9And thy poor starveling bountifully fed.
10After this banquet my soul doth say grace,
11And praise thee for it, and zealously embrace
12Thy love; though I think thy love in this case
13 To be as gluttons, which say 'midst their meat,
14 They love that best of which they most do eat.
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire, assisted by Ana Berdinskikh
RPO Edition
2009
Rhyme