Love

Song from "Cleomenes" (No, no, poor suffering heart, no change endeavor)

by John Dryden 1631–1700

Love

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.

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/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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