Love
Song XXXV. To a Painted Lady
From Songs and Other Poems (1664)
Leave these deluding tricks and showes,
Be honest and down-right;
What Nature did to view expose,
Don't you keep out of sight.
The novice youth may chance admire,
Your dressings, paints and spells:
But we that are expert desire
Your sex for somewhat else.
In your adored face and hair,
What vertue could you find,
If Women were like Angels fair,
And every man were blind?
You need no pains or time to wast
To set your beauties forth,
With oyls, and paint, and drugs, that cost
More than the face is worth.
Nature her self, her own work does
And hates all needless arts,
And all your artificial showes
Disgrace your Nat'ral parts.
You're flesh and bloud, and so are we,
Let flesh and bloud alone,
To Love all compounds hateful be,
Give me the pure, or none.
Cite this poem
MLA
Brome, Alexander. “Song XXXV. To a Painted Lady.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/brome/34/.
Chicago
Brome, Alexander. “Song XXXV. To a Painted Lady.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/brome/34/.
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