Love

Give beauty all her right

by Thomas Campion 1567–1620

From Two Books of Airs: Light Conceits of Lovers (c. 1613)

Love

Give beauty all her right,
She's not to one form tied;
Each shape yields fair delight,
Where her perfections 'bide.
Helen, I grant, might pleasing be;
And Ros'mond was as sweet as she.

Some the quick eye commends;
Some swelling lips and red;
Pale looks have many friends,
Through sacred sweetness bred.
Meadows have flowers that pleasure move,
Though roses are the flowers of love.

Free beauty is not bound
To one unmoved clime:
She visits every ground,
And favours every time.
Let the old loves with mine compare,
My Sovereign is as sweet and fair.

✦ ✦ ✦

Two Books of Airs: Light Conceits of Lovers (c. 1613)

MLA

Campion, Thomas. “Give beauty all her right.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/campion/53/.

Chicago

Campion, Thomas. “Give beauty all her right.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/campion/53/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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