Love

I cannot tell, who loves the skeleton

by Richard Lovelace 1617–1657

From Lucasta (1649)

Love

I cannot tell, who loves the skeleton
Of a poor marmoset; nought but boan, boan;
Give me a nakednesse, with her cloath's on.

Such, whose white-sattin upper coat of skin,
Cut upon velvet rich incarnadin,
Has yet a body (and of flesh) within.

Sure, it is meant good husbandry in men,
Who do incorporate with aery leane,
T' repair their sides, and get their ribb agen.

Hard hap unto that huntsman, that decrees
Fat joys for all his swet, when as he sees,
After his 'say, nought but his keepers fees.

Then, Love, I beg, when next thou tak'st thy bow,
Thy angry shafts, and dost heart-chasing go,
Passe RASCALL DEARE, strike me the largest doe.

MLA

Lovelace, Richard. “I cannot tell, who loves the skeleton.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lovelace/104/.

Chicago

Lovelace, Richard. “I cannot tell, who loves the skeleton.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lovelace/104/.

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