A Fever

 Oh do not die, for I shall hate
 All women so, when thou art gone,
That thee I shall not celebrate,
 When I remember, thou wast one.

But yet thou canst not die, I know,
 To leave this world behind, is death,
But when thou from this world wilt go,
 The whole world vapors with thy breath.


Or if, when thou, the world's soul, goest,
 It stay, 'tis but thy carcass then,
The fairest woman, but thy ghost,
 But corrupt worms, the worthiest men.


O wrangling schools, that search what fire
 Shall burn this world, had none the wit
Unto this knowledge to aspire,
 That this her fever might be it?

And yet she cannot waste by this,
 Nor long bear this torturing wrong,
For much corruption needful is
 To fuel such a fever long.


These burning fits but meteors be,
 Whose matter in thee is soon spent.

Thy beauty, and all parts, which are thee,
 Are unchangeable firmament.


Yet 'twas of my mind, seizing thee,
 Though it in thee cannot persever.

For I had rather owner be,
Of thee one hour, than all else ever.

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