Love
Upon Beginning without Making an End
From A Poetical Rhapsody (1602), ed. A. H. Bullen (1890–91)
Begin, and half is done, yet half undone remains;
Begin that half, and all is done, and thou art eased of pains:
The second half is all again, new work must be begun.
Thus he that still begins, doth nothing but by halves,
And things half done, as good undone: half oxen are but calves.
Codex Note
Credited to "A. W." in Francis Davison's own manuscript list (Bullen prints the initials in square brackets).
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Elizabethan miscellanies). “Upon Beginning without Making an End.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-elizabethan-miscellanies/102/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Elizabethan miscellanies). “Upon Beginning without Making an End.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-elizabethan-miscellanies/102/.
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