i'Jf)!. Poetry, 69 



Though almost blind; for thee (lovd clay) 

 I languifh out, not live the day. 

 Using no other exercise 

 But what I practise v^ith mine eyes : 

 By which wet glafses I find out 

 How lazily time creeps about 

 To one that mourns; This, onely thij, -• 

 My exercise and bus'ntfs is; 

 So I compute the weary hours 

 With sighs difsolved into iliow'rs ' 



Nor wonder if my time go thus. 

 Backward and most preposterous j 

 Thou hast benighted me ; thy lety 

 This eve of blacknefs did beget, 

 Who wast my day, (tho' overcast 

 Before thou hadst thy noontide past,) 

 And I remember must in tears, 

 Thou scarce hadst seen so many years 

 As day tells houres, by thy clear sun 

 My love and fortune first did run j 

 But thou wile never more appear 

 Folded v/ithin my hemisphear. 

 Since both thy light and motion 

 Like a fled star is-fall'n and gon ; 

 And twixt me and my soule's dear wi/h 

 The earth now interposed is. 

 Which such a strange eclipse doth make 

 As ne'er was read in almanake; 



I could allow thee for a time 

 To darken me and my sad clime. 

 Were it a month, a year, or ten, 

 1 would thy exile live till then j 

 And all that space my mirth adjourn. 

 So thou would'st promise to return; 

 And putting oil" thy afhy flirowd 

 At length disperse tliis sorrow's clouds 



But woe is me I the longest date 

 Too narrow is to calculate, 

 These empty hopes : never (hall I 

 Be so much blest, as to descry 

 A glimpse of thee, till tiiat day come 

 Which (hall thi earth to cinders doomc. 

 And a fierce fever must calcine 

 'I'he body of this world lilcc thine, 

 (My little world) that fit of fire 

 Once off, our bodies (hall Uipirc ' 



To our soule's blifs: then we fliail rite. 

 And view ourselves with cleercr eyes 

 1 1 that calm region, where no night 

 Cjn hide us from each other's sight. 

 • •••«• 



Sleep on) my love, in tliy cold be<l 

 Never to be Jiiqtiictcd ! 



