Love

Song: Shall I tell you whom I love

by William Browne of Tavistock 1590–1645

From Specimens with Memoirs of the Less-known British Poets, ed. George Gilfillan (1860)

Love

Shall I tell you whom I love?
Hearken then a while to me,
And if such a woman move
As I now shall versify;
Be assured, 'tis she, or none,
That I love, and love alone.

Nature did her so much right,
As she scorns the help of art.
In as many virtues dight
As e'er yet embraced a heart;
So much good so truly tried,
Some for less were deified.

Wit she hath, without desire
To make known how much she hath;
And her anger flames no higher
Than may fitly sweeten wrath.
Full of pity as may be,
Though perhaps not so to me.

Reason masters every sense,
And her virtues grace her birth:
Lovely as all excellence,
Modest in her most of mirth:
Likelihood enough to prove
Only worth could kindle love.

Such she is: and if you know
Such a one as I have sung;
Be she brown, or fair, or so,
That she be but somewhile young;
Be assured, 'tis she, or none,
That I love, and love alone.

MLA

Tavistock, William Browne of. “Song: Shall I tell you whom I love.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/browne_w/33/.

Chicago

Tavistock, William Browne of. “Song: Shall I tell you whom I love.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/browne_w/33/.

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