Love

Loe here behold these tributarie teares

by Richard Barnfield 1574–1620

From The Affectionate Shepheard (1594)

Love

Loe here behold these tributarie teares
Paid to thy faire but cruell tyrant eyes;
Loe here the blossome of my youthfull yeares,
Nipt with the fresh of thy wraths winter, dyes!
Here on Loves altar I doo offer up
This burning hart for my soules sacrifice;
Here I receave this deadly-poysned cup
Of Circe charm'd, wherein deepe magicke lyes.
Then teares, if you be happie teares indeed,
And hart, if thou be lodged in his brest,
And cup, if thou canst helpe despaire with speed,
Teares, hart, and cup, conjoine to make me blest!
Teares move, hart win, cup cause, ruth, love, desire,
In word, in deed; by moane, by zeale, by fire.

✦ ✦ ✦

A sonnet in which the speaker lays his tears, his heart and a poisoned cup before a cruel mistress, and asks them to bring him relief.

MLA

Barnfield, Richard. “Loe here behold these tributarie teares.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/barnfield/4/.

Chicago

Barnfield, Richard. “Loe here behold these tributarie teares.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/barnfield/4/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Richard Barnfield