Absence, Hear Thou My Protestation

Absence, hear thou my protestation,
Against thy strength,
Distance, and length :
Do what thou canst for alteration,
For hearts of truest mettle
Absence doth join, and Time doth settle

Who loves a mistress of such quality,
He soon hath found
Affection's ground
Beyond time, place, and all mortality.
To hearts that cannot vary,
Absence is present, Time doth tarry.

My senses want their outward motions,
Which now within
Reason doth win,
Redoubled in her secret notions :
Like rich men that take pleasure
In hiding, more than handling treasure.

By absence this good means I gain,
That I can catch her,
Where none can watch her,
In some close corner of my brain.
There I embrace and kiss her ;
And so I both enjoy and miss her.