Me! me! and none but me! Dart home! O gentle Death!
And quickly! for I draw too long this idle breath.
O how long till I may fly to heaven above,
Unto my faithful and beloved turtle dove!
Like to the silver swan before my death I sing!
And yet alive, my fatal knell I help to ring!
Still I desire from earth, and earthly joys to fly!
He never happy lived, that cannot love to die!
"Say, Love! if ever thou didst find
A woman with a constant mind?"
"None but one!"
"And what should that rare mirror be?
Some goddess or some Queen is she?"
She! She! She! and only She!
She, only Queen of Love and Beauty!
"But could thy fiery poisoned dart,
At no time, touch her spotless heart,
Nor come near?"
"She is not subject to Love's bow.
Her eye commands, her heart saith 'No!'"
No! no! no! and only No!
One No! another still doth follow.
"How might I that fair wonder know,
That mocks Desire with endless 'No!'?"
"See the Moon!
That ever in one change doth grow;
Yet still the same! and She is so!"
So! so! so! and only so!
From heaven, her virtues she doth borrow.
"To her, then, yield thy shafts and bow!
That can command affections so!"
"Love is free,
So are her thoughts that vanquish thee!"
"There is no Queen of Love but She!"
She! She! She! and only She!
She, only Queen of Love and Beauty!