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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  816. Song

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Wilfrid Scawen Blunt. b. 1840

816. Song

O FLY not, Pleasure, pleasant-hearted Pleasure; 
  Fold me thy wings, I prithee, yet and stay: 
      For my heart no measure 
      Knows, nor other treasure 
To buy a garland for my love to-day.         5
 
And thou, too, Sorrow, tender-hearted Sorrow, 
  Thou gray-eyed mourner, fly not yet away: 
      For I fain would borrow 
      Thy sad weeds to-morrow, 
  To make a mourning for love’s yesterday.  10
 
The voice of Pity, Time’s divine dear Pity, 
  Moved me to tears: I dared not say them nay, 
      But passed forth from the city, 
      Making thus my ditty 
Of fair love lost for ever and a day.  15