Love

Love's Burning-Glass

by Sir John Suckling 1609–1641

From Works (Thompson, 1910)

Love

Wondering long, how I could harmless see
Men gazing on those beams that fired me.
At last I found it was the crystal, Love,
Before my heart that did the heat improve :
Which, by contracting of those scatter'd rays
Into itself, did so produce my blaze.
Now, lighted by my love, I see the same
Beams dazzle those, that me are wont t' inflame
And now I bless my love, when I do think
By how much I had rather burn than wink.
But how much happier were it thus to burn,
If I had liberty to choose my urn !
But since those beams do promise only fire.
This flame shall purge me of the dross. Desire.

MLA

Suckling, John. “Love's Burning-Glass.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/suckling/73/.

Chicago

Suckling, John. “Love's Burning-Glass.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/suckling/73/.

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