Loving In Truth, And Fain In Verse My Love To Show

Sir Philip Sidney

Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That She, dear She, might take some pleasure of my pain,
—Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain— 
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe,
Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain,
Oft turning others’ leaves, to see if thence would flow
Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburnt brain.
But words came halting forth, wanting Invention’s stay;
Invention, Nature’s child, fled step-dame Study’s blows;
And others’ feet still seemed but strangers in my way.
Thus, great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,
Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite— 
“Fool!” said my Muse to me “look in thy heart, and write!”

Next 10 Poems

• Sir Philip Sidney : Must Love Lament?
• Sir Philip Sidney : My True Love Hath My Heart, And I Have His
• Sir Philip Sidney : Ode ( When, To My Deadly Pleasure )
• Sir Philip Sidney : Philomela
• Sir Philip Sidney : Psalm 19: Coeli Enarrant
• Sir Philip Sidney : Ring Out Your Bells
• Sir Philip Sidney : Since Shunning Pain, I Ease Can Never Find
• Sir Philip Sidney : Sir Philip Sidney's Sonnet In Reply To A Sonnet By Sir Edward Dyer
• Sir Philip Sidney : Sleep
• Sir Philip Sidney : Song

Previous 10 Poems

• Sir Philip Sidney : Leave Me, O Love Which Reachest But To Dust
• Sir Philip Sidney : From Earth To Heaven
• Sir Philip Sidney : Dispraise Of A Courtly Life
• Sir Philip Sidney : Dirge
• Sir Philip Sidney : Come Sleep, O Sleep! The Certain Knot Of Peace
• Sir Philip Sidney : Astrophil And Stella-sonnet Cviii
• Sir Philip Sidney : Astrophel And Stella-sonnet Xxxi
• Sir Philip Sidney : Astrophel And Stella-sonnet Liv
• Sir Philip Sidney : Astrophel And Stella-first Song
• Sir Philip Sidney : Astrophel And Stella-eleventh Song