Love
Whither so fast? see how the kindly flowers
From Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age, ed. A. H. Bullen (London: Nimmo, 1891)
Whither so fast? see how the kindly flowers
Perfume the air, and all to make thee stay:
The climbing wood-bine, clipping all these bowers,
Clips thee likewise for fear thou pass away;
Fortune our friend, our foe will not gainsay.
Stay but awhile, Phoebe no tell-tale is;
She her Endymion, I'll my Phoebe kiss.
Fear not, the ground seeks but to kiss thy feet;
Hark, hark, how Philomela sweetly sings!
Whilst water-wanton fishes as they meet
Strike crotchet time amidst these crystal springs,
And Zephyrus amongst the leaves sweet murmur rings.
Stay but awhile, Phoebe no tell-tale is;
She her Endymion, I'll my Phoebe kiss.
See how the helitrope, herb of the sun,
Though he himself long since be gone to bed,
Is not of force thine eye's bright beams to shun,
But with their warmth his goldy leaves unspread,
And on my knee invites thee rest thy head.
Stay but awhile, Phoebe no tell-tale is;
She her Endymion, I'll my Phoebe kiss.
Codex Note
From Francis Pilkington's First Book of Songs or Airs, 1605.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Elizabethan songs). “Whither so fast? see how the kindly flowers.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-elizabethan-songs/182/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Elizabethan songs). “Whither so fast? see how the kindly flowers.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-elizabethan-songs/182/.
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