Love

Lucasta's World. Epode

by Richard Lovelace 1617–1657

From Lucasta (1649)

Love

Cold as the breath of winds that blow
To silver shot descending snow,
Lucasta sigh't; when she did close
The world in frosty chaines!
And then a frowne to rubies frose
The blood boyl'd in our veines:
Yet cooled not the heat her sphere
Of beauties first had kindled there.

Then mov'd, and with a suddaine flame
Impatient to melt all againe,
Straight from her eyes she lightning hurl'd,
And earth in ashes mournes;
The sun his blaze denies the world,
And in her luster burnes:
Yet warmed not the hearts, her nice
Disdaine had first congeal'd to ice.

And now her teares nor griev'd desire
Can quench this raging, pleasing fire;
Fate but one way allowes; behold
Her smiles' divinity!
They fann'd this heat, and thaw'd that cold,
So fram'd up a new sky.
Thus earth, from flames and ice repreev'd,
E're since hath in her sun-shine liv'd.

MLA

Lovelace, Richard. “Lucasta's World. Epode.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lovelace/73/.

Chicago

Lovelace, Richard. “Lucasta's World. Epode.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lovelace/73/.

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