Love
Upon Her Acknowledging His Desert, yet Rejecting His Affection
From A Poetical Rhapsody (1602), ed. A. H. Bullen (1890–91)
If love conjoined with worth and great desart,
Merit like love in every noble mind,
Why then do I you still so cruel find,
To whom you do such praise of worth impart?
And if, my dear, you speak not from your heart.
Two heinous wrongs you do together bind.
To seek with glozing words mine eyes to blind.
And yet with hateful deeds my love to thwart.
To want what one deserves, engrieves his pain.
Because it takes away all self-accusing;
And under kindest words to mask disdain,
Is to a vexed soul too much abusing.
Then if't be false, such glozing words refrain;
If true, oh! then let worth his due obtain.
Cite this poem
MLA
Davison, Francis. “Upon Her Acknowledging His Desert, yet Rejecting His Affection.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/davison/59/.
Chicago
Davison, Francis. “Upon Her Acknowledging His Desert, yet Rejecting His Affection.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/davison/59/.
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