| Andrew Macphail, comp. The Book of Sorrow. 1916. | | | XXVIII. Loneliness
A Shepherd Boy’s Song | | By William Browne (c. 1590–c. 1645) |
| | | IT is enough that I in silence sit, | |
| And bend my skill to learne your layes aright; | |
| Nor strive with you in ready straines of wit, | |
| Nor move my hearers with so true delight. | |
| But if for heavy plaints and notes of woe | 5 |
| Your eares are prest; | |
| No shepherd lives that can my pipe out-goe | |
| In such unrest. | |
| I have not knowne so many yeares | |
| As chances wrong, | 10 |
| Nor have they knowne more floods of teares | |
| From one so yong. | |
| Fain would I tune to please as others doe, | |
| Wert not for faining song and numbers too. | |
| Then (since not fitting now are songs of mone) | 15 |
| Sing, mirthfull swaines, but let me sigh alone. | |
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| The nymphs that float upon these watry plaines | |
| Have oft been drawne to listen to my song, | |
| And sirens left to tune dissembling straines | |
| In true bewailing of my sorrowes long. | 20 |
| Upon the waves of late a silver swan | |
| By me did ride, | |
| And thrilled with my woes forthwith began | |
| To sing, and dyde. | |
| Yet where they should, they cannot move. | 25 |
| O haplesse verse! | |
| That fitter, than to win a love, | |
| Art for a herse. | |
| Hence-forward silent be; and ye my cares | |
| Be knowne but to myselfe; or who despaires, | 30 |
| Since pittie now lies turned to a stone. | |
| Sing mirthfull swaines; but let me sigh alone. | | | | |
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