Love

Shall I come, sweet love, to thee

by Thomas Campion 1567–1620

From The Third Book of Airs (c. 1617)

Love

Shall I come, sweet love, to thee,
When the evening beams are set?
Shall I not excluded be?
Will you find no feigned let?
Let me not, for pity, more,
Tell the long hours at your door!

Who can tell what thief or foe,
In the covert of the night,
For his prey will work my woe,
Or through wicked foul despite?
So may I die unredrest,
Ere my long love be possest.

But to let such dangers pass,
Which a lover's thoughts disdain,
'Tis enough in such a place
To attend love's joys in vain.
Do not mock me in thy bed,
While these cold nights freeze me dead.

✦ ✦ ✦

The Third Book of Airs (c. 1617)

MLA

Campion, Thomas. “Shall I come, sweet love, to thee.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/campion/84/.

Chicago

Campion, Thomas. “Shall I come, sweet love, to thee.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/campion/84/.

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