Sir Thomas Wyatt (150342). The Poetical Works. 1880. | | Odes | That the Season of Enjoyment is short, and should not pass by neglected |
| ME list no more to sing | |
Of love, nor of such thing, | |
How sore that it me wring; | |
For what I sung or spake, | |
Men did my songs mistake. | 5 |
My songs were too diffuse; | |
They made folk to muse; | |
Therefore me to excuse, | |
They shall be sung more plain, | |
Neither of joy nor pain. | 10 |
What vaileth then to skip | |
At fruit over the lip . . . . . . . . | |
For fruit withouten taste | |
Doth nought but rot and waste. | |
What vaileth under kay | 15 |
To keep treasure alway, | |
That never shall see day. | |
If it be not used, | |
It is but abused. | |
What vaileth the flower | 20 |
To stand still and wither; | |
If no man it savour | |
It serves only for sight, | |
And fadeth towards night. | |
Therefore fear not to assay | 25 |
To gather, ye that may, | |
The flower that this day | |
Is fresher than the next. | |
Mark well I say this text: | |
Let not the fruit be lost | 30 |
That is desired most; | |
Delight shall quite the cost. | |
If it be taen in time | |
Small labour is to climb. | |
And as for such treasure | 35 |
That maketh thee the richer, | |
And no deal the poorer | |
When it is given or lent, | |
Methinks it were well spent. | |
If this be under mist, | 40 |
And not well plainly wist, | |
Understand me who list, | |
For I reek not a bean; | |
I wot what I do mean. | | | |
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