Love

To my onely chosen Valentine and wife, Anagram. MAYSTRESS ELISABETH VINCENT IS MY BRESTS CHASTE VALENTINE

by Phineas Fletcher 1582–1650

From Poeticall Miscellanies (1633)

Love

THink not (fair love) that Chance my hand directed
To make my choice my chance; blinde Chance & hands
Could never see what most my minde affected;
But heav'n (that ever with chaste true love stands)
Lent eyes to see what most my heart respected:
Then do not thou resist what heav'n commands;
But yeeld thee his, who must be ever thine:
My heart thy altar is, my breast thy shrine;
Thy name for ever is, My brests chaste Valentine.

MLA

Fletcher, Phineas. “To my onely chosen Valentine and wife, Anagram. MAYSTRESS ELISABETH VINCENT IS MY BRESTS CHASTE VALENTINE.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/fletcher_p/22/.

Chicago

Fletcher, Phineas. “To my onely chosen Valentine and wife, Anagram. MAYSTRESS ELISABETH VINCENT IS MY BRESTS CHASTE VALENTINE.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/fletcher_p/22/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Phineas Fletcher