Love

The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall

by Anonymous (Elizabethan songs) c. 1588–1630

From Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age, ed. A. H. Bullen (London: Nimmo, 1891)

Love

The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall,
The fly her spleen, the little spark his heat;
And slender hairs cast shadows, though but small,
And bees have stings, although they be not great;
Seas have their source, and so have shallow springs;
And love is love, in beggars and in kings!

Where waters smoothest run, deep are the fords;
The dial stirs, yet none perceives it move;
The firmest faith is in the fewest words;
The turtles cannot sing, and yet they love;
True hearts have eyes and ears, no tongues to speak;
They hear, and see, and sigh, and then they break!

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From John Dowland's Third and last Book of Songs and Airs, 1603.

MLA

Anonymous (Elizabethan songs). “The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-elizabethan-songs/137/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Elizabethan songs). “The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-elizabethan-songs/137/.

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