Love
Song from "Cleomenes" (No, no, poor suffering heart, no change endeavor)
No, no, poor suff'ring heart, no change endeavor,
Choose to sustain the smart, rather than leave her;
My ravish'd eyes behold such charms about her,
I can die with her, but not live without her;
One tender sigh of hers to see me languish,
Will more than pay the price of my past anguish:
Beware, O cruel fair, how you smile on me,
'T was a kind look of yours that has undone me.
Love has in store for me one happy minute,
And she will end my pain, who did begin it;
Then no day void of bliss, or pleasure, leaving,
Ages shall slide away without perceiving:
Cupid shall guard the door, the more to please us,
And keep out Time and Death, when they would seize us;
Time and Death shall depart, and say, in flying,
Love has found out a way to live by dying.
Cite this poem
MLA
Dryden, John. “Song from "Cleomenes" (No, no, poor suffering heart, no change endeavor).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/dryden/207/.
Chicago
Dryden, John. “Song from "Cleomenes" (No, no, poor suffering heart, no change endeavor).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/dryden/207/.
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