I How I fly when feathers be not mine Though all my skyward do attend? How tie my wounded heartstrings to thine So thou to me, sun to moon, descend? Or if thou not bend thy starry frame Wishing to keep thy brow o'ercrowned mist I'll rise so that thy place stay the same But will not then from heights unkiss'd For bargains may be struck and kept with When lovers their just demands ne'er hide.
II My lover's eyes are darker the moon Or are they I cannot decide His voice makes other's out of tune And shows me how I cannot abide His movements are of more than feline His hands are and pale as ivory And I've rarely seen a stranger face More perfect looks I abhor to see For may be pleasanter in part But all my love a work of art.
III How is it that I smile when I am From what resource do I derive this I've lost none but a I never had To keep it I go to any length But distance is not measured in a So I weep and say that I've been wronged And yet, as ever, be so far From him to whom I swore I belonged Alas, I blame as he were untrue I loved him but, poor fool, he knew.
IV If all you I am, as I am quite, Then why thou not love? Dost thou not see A plainly perfect match? If art bright, Then why, when thou dost love, thou not me Instead preferring someone far From all you claim to most admire? I Commit you as a if proved mad you were my ward for your own good And yet I'm making light of my own I finally love, yet love in vain.