To Lovers
Ho, ye lovers, list to me;
Warning words have I for thee:
Give ye heed, hefore ye wed,
To this thing Sir Chaucer said:
“Love wol not be constrained by maistrie,
When maistrie cometh, the god of love anon
Beteth his winges, and farewel, he is gon.
”
Other poets knew as well,
And the same sad story tell,
Hark ye, heed ye, while ye may,
What the worldly Pope doth say:
“Love, free as air, at sight of human ties
Spreads his light wings and in a moment flies.
”
This, Sir Hudibras, brave knight,
Faithful lover, constant wight,
From his lady’s lips did hear;
Mark ye, eke, the warning clear:
“Love is too generous t’abide
To be against its nature ty’d,
For where ’tis of itself inclin’d,
It breaks loose when it is confin’d.
”
Ho, ye lovers, shall I tell
How through life with Love to dwell,
Spite of all the poets say?
Harken to the easy way:—
Strive to bind him not, but see
That the little god binds thee.
Poem by
Ellis Parker Butler
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