| John Donne (1572–1631). The Poems of John Donne. 1896. | | | | Appendix A. Doubtful Poems | | The Lady and her Viol |
| | | WHY dost thou, dear, affect thy viol so, | |
| And let thy love forlorn with anguish go? | |
| Thou’lt kindly set him on thy lap, embrace | |
| And almost kiss, while I must void the place. | |
| Thou’lt string him truly, tune him sweetly, when | 5 |
| Thou’lt wrest me out of tune and crack me then. | |
| Thou’lt stop his frets, but set no date to mine. | |
| Thou’lt give whate’er he wants, but let me pine. | |
| Thou know’st him hollow-hearted, yet wilt hear | |
| Him thoroughout with an attentive ear; | 10 |
| And sing him such a pleasing lullaby, | |
| Would charm hell’s churlish porter’s watchful eye, | |
| Keeping true time with him as true may be, | |
| But find no time to keep thee true to me. | |
| Dear, as the instrument would I were thine, | 15 |
| That thou mightst play on me, 1 or thou wert mine. | |
| | | Note 1. l. 16. The Farmer-Chetham MS. has a variant, That I might play on thee. [back] | | |
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