The Siege
'Tis now, since I sat down before
That foolish fort, a heart,
(Time strangely spent) a year and more,
And still I did my part:
Made my approaches, from her hand
Unto her lip did rise,
And did already understand
The language of her eyes;
Proceeded on with no less art —
My tongue was engineer;
I thought to undermine the heart
By whispering in the ear.
When this did nothing, I brought down
Great cannon-oaths, and shot
A thousand thousand to the town;
And still it yielded not.
I then resolved to starve the place
By cutting off all kisses,
Praising and gazing on her face,
And all such little blisses.
To draw her out, and from her strength,
I drew all batteries in,
And brought myself to lie at length
As if no siege had been.
When I had done what man could do
And thought the place mine own,
The enemy lay quiet too,
And smiled at all was done.
I sent to know from whence and where
These hopes and this relief;
A spy informed, Honor was there,
And did command in chief.
"March, march," quoth I; "the word straight give;
Let's lose no time, but leave her;
That giant upon air will live,
And hold it out for ever.
"To such a place our camp remove
As will no siege abide;
I hate a fool that starves her love,
Only to feed her pride."
Out Upon It! I Have Loved
Out upon it! I have loved
Three whole days together;
And am like to love three more,
If it prove fair weather.
Time shall moult away his wings,
Ere he shall discover
In the whole wide world again
Such a constant lover.
But the spite on't is, no praise
Is due at all to me:
Love with me had made no stays
Had it any been but she.
Had it any been but she,
And that very face,
There had been at least ere this
A dozen dozen in her place.
