Love

That He Cannot Hide or Dissemble His Affection

by Francis Davison c. 1575–c. 1619

From A Poetical Rhapsody (1602), ed. A. H. Bullen (1890–91)

Love

I bend my wits, and beat my weary brain,
To keep my inward grief from outward show.
Alas, I cannot; now 'tis vain, I know,
To hide a fire whose flame appeareth plain.
I force my will, my senses I constrain,
T' imprison in my heart my secret woe:
But musing thoughts, deep sighs, or tears that flow,
Discover what my heart hides all in vain.
Yet blame not, dear, this undissembled passion;
For well may love, within small limits bounded.
Be wisely mask'd in a disguised fashion:
But he whose heart, like mine, is throughly wounded,
Can never feign, no, though he were assured
That feigning might have greater grace procured.

MLA

Davison, Francis. “That He Cannot Hide or Dissemble His Affection.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/davison/44/.

Chicago

Davison, Francis. “That He Cannot Hide or Dissemble His Affection.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/davison/44/.

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