To Mrs. M. A. at Parting

To Mrs. M. A. at Parting

Original Text
Katherine Philips, Poems (1667): 74-76; A Facsimile Reproduction with an Introduction by Travis Dupriest (Delmar, New York: Scholars' Facsimiles and Reprints, 1992). PR 3619 P4P64 1992. E-10 4168 Fisher Rare Book Library
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1I Have examin'd and do find,
2    Of all that favour me
3There's none I grieve to leave behind
4    But only only thee.
5        To part with thee I needs must die,
6        Could parting sep'rate thee and I.
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7But neither Chance nor Complement
8    Did element our Love ;
9'Twas sacred Sympathy was lent
10    Us from the Quire above.
11        That Friendship Fortune did create,
12        Still fears a wound from Time or Fate.
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13Our chang'd and mingled Souls are grown
14    To such acquaintance now,
15That if each would resume their own,
16    Alas ! we know not how.
17        We have each other so engrost,
18        That each is in the Union lost.
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19And thus we can no Absence know,
20    Nor shall we be confin'd ;
21Our active Souls will daily go
22    To learn each others mind.
23        Nay, should we never meet to Sense,
24        Our Souls would hold Intelligence.
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25Inspired with a Flame Divine
26    I scorn to court a stay ;
27For from that noble Soul of thine
28    I ne're can be away.
29        But I shall weep when thou dost grieve ;
30        Nor can I die whil'st thou dost live.
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31By my own temper I shall guess
32    At thy felicity,
33And only like my happiness
34    Because it pleaseth thee.
35        Our hearts at any time will tell
36        If thou, or I, be sick, or well.
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37All Honour sure I must pretend,
38    All that is Good or Great ;
39She that would be Rosania's Friend,
40    Must be at least compleat.
41        If I have any bravery,
42        'Tis cause I have so much of thee.
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43Thy Leiger Soul in me shall lie,
44    And all thy thoughts reveal ;
45Then back again with mine shall flie,
46    And thence to me shall steal.
47        Thus still to one another tend ;
48        Such is the sacred name of Friend.
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49Thus our twin-Souls in one shall grow,
50    And teach the World new Love,
51Redeem the Age and Sex, and shew
52    A Flame Fate dares not move :
53        And courting Death to be our friend,
54        Our Lives together too shall end.
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55A Dew shall dwell upon our Tomb
56    Of such a quality,
57That fighting Armies, thither come,
58    Shall reconciled be.
59        We'll ask no Epitaph, but say
60        ORINDA and ROSANIA.
Publication Start Year
1667
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1996-2000.
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