TO CHARIS.

[Begging another kiss, on condition of mending the former.]

For Love’s sake, kiss me once again;

I long, and should not beg in vain;

Here’s none to spy or see:

Why do you doubt or stay?

I’ll taste as lightly as the bee,

That doth but touch his flower and flies away.

Once more, and, faith, I will be gone:

Can he that loves ask less than one?

Nay, you may err in this,

And all your bounty wrong:

This could be called but half a kiss;

What we’ve but once to do, we should do long.

I will but mend the last, and tell

Where, how, it would have relished well;

Join lip to lip, and try;

Each suck the other’s breath,

And, whilst our tongues perplexed lie,

Let who will think us dead, or wish our death.

Ben Jonson.