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197 · Nov 2018
The Descants
James Carter Nov 2018
While thou on Tereus descant'st better skill.
Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill,
For nothing this wide universe I call,
My love is as a fever, longing still
'Long may they kiss each other, for this cure!
Doth in her poison'd closet yet endure.'
He kisses her; and she, by her good will,
To accessary yieldings, but still pure
But low shrubs wither at the cedar's root.
He shall not boast who did thy stock pollute
And leave the faltering feeble souls alive?
And, thou away, the very birds are mute;
For now she knows it is no gentle chase,
Because the cry remaineth in one place,
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
Dulling my lines and doing me disgrace.
Then call them not the authors of their ill,
Like to a mortal butcher bent to ****.
'O Jove,' quoth she, 'how much a fool was I
An humble gait, calm looks, eyes wailing still,
But her foresight could not forestall their will.
The silly lambs: pure thoughts are dead and still,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
Is form'd in them by force, by fraud, or skill:
Whose ridges with the meeting clouds contend:
Were it not sinful then, striving to mend,
Doth half that glory to the sober west,
In true plain words by thy true-telling friend;
Above a mortal pitch, that struck me dead?
Is madly toss'd between desire and dread;
For all my mind, my thought, my busy care,
A second fear through all her sinews spread,
And, blushing with him, wistly on him gazed;
Her earnest eye did make him more amazed:
And for my sake serve thou false Tarquin so.
That two red fires in both their faces blazed;
That all the world besides methinks are dead.
For then is Tarquin brought unto his bed,
For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
O me, what eyes hath Love put in my head,
He ran upon the boar with his sharp spear,
Stands on his hinder legs with listening ear,
She tears the senseless Sinon with her nails,
Doth yet in his fair welkin once appear;
174 · Nov 2018
The Heart
James Carter Nov 2018
In many's looks the false heart's history
Afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans;
To make him moan; but pity not his moans:
That he shall never cut from memory
Join with the spite of fortune, make me bow,
That they have ******'d this poor heart of mine;
That eye which him beholds, as more divine,
Receives the scroll without or yea or no,
Proving from world's minority their right:
One of her feather'd creatures broke away,
Like the fair sun, when in his fresh array
The foul boar's conquest on her fair delight;
That heavy Saturn laugh'd and leap'd with him.
Till the wild waves will have him seen no more,
Though words come hindmost, holds his rank before.
Another flap-mouth'd mourner, black and grim,
Or stop the headlong fury of his speed.
So mild, that Patience seem'd to scorn his woes.
Are like a labyrinth to amaze his foes.
Let fair humanity abhor the deed
Since all alike my songs and praises be
First, like a trumpet, doth his tongue begin
Even so she kissed his brow, his cheek, his chin,
My honour lost, and I, a drone-like bee,
My saucy bark inferior far to his
To play the watchman ever for thy sake:
Those lips that Love's own hand did make
The honey fee of parting tender'd is:
For through his mane and tail the high wind sings,
Not spend the dowry of a lawful bed.
Claps her pale cheek, till clapping makes it red;
Fanning the hairs, who wave like feather'd wings
171 · Nov 2018
Constrain’d
James Carter Nov 2018
Being constrain'd with dreadful circumstance?
If Nature, sovereign mistress over wrack,
My low-declined honour to advance?
Then will I swear beauty herself is black

'O, teach me how to make mine own excuse!
As high as learning my rude ignorance.
So him I lose through my unkind abuse.
Being constrain'd with dreadful circumstance?

That on himself such murderous shame commits.
The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,
My deepest sense, how hard true sorrow hits,
I'll beg her love; but she is own:

They that lose half with greater patience bear it
Hath left me, and I desperate now approve
From earth's dark womb some gentle gust doth get,
For you in me can nothing worthy prove;

Then others for the breath of words respect,
As subject to Time's love or to Time's hate,
And every beauty robb'd of his effect:
So long as youth and thou are of one date;

And found such fair assistance in my verse
But honest fear, bewitch'd with lust's foul charm,
And tongues to be your being shall rehearse
'The sun that shines from heaven shines but warm,

By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath,
That with my nails her beauty I may tear.
The stained taste of violated troth;
Or, if they sing, 'tis with so dull a cheer

Or me, to whom thou gavest it, else mistaking;
Till either gorge be stuff'd or prey be gone;
From forth dull sleep by dreadful fancy waking,
Although I swear it to myself alone.

— The End —