| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| William Shakespeare. 1564–1616 |
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| 124. The Blossom |
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| ON a day—alack the day!— | |
| Love, whose month is ever May, | |
| Spied a blossom passing fair | |
| Playing in the wanton air: | |
| Through the velvet leaves the wind | 5 |
| All unseen 'gan passage find; | |
| That the lover, sick to death, | |
| Wish'd himself the heaven's breath. | |
| Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow; | |
| Air, would I might triumph so! | 10 |
| But, alack, my hand is sworn | |
| Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn: | |
| Vow, alack, for youth unmeet; | |
| Youth so apt to pluck a sweet! | |
| Do not call it sin in me | 15 |
| That I am forsworn for thee; | |
| Thou for whom e'en Jove would swear | |
| Juno but an Ethiop were; | |
| And deny himself for Jove, | |
| Turning mortal for thy love. | 20 |
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