Virtue, Beauty, And Speech, Did Strike, Wound, Charm

Sir Philip Sidney

Virtue, beauty, and speech, did strike, wound, charm,
My heart, eyes, ears, with wonder, love, delight,
First, second, last, did bind, enforce, and arm,
His works, shows, suits, with wit, grace, and vows’ might,

Thus honour, liking, trust, much, far, and deep,
Held, pierced, possessed, my judgment, sense, and will,
Till wrongs, contempt, deceit, did grow, steal, creep,
Bands, favour, faith, to break, defile, and kill,

Then grief, unkindness, proof, took, kindled, taught,
Well-grounded, noble, due, spite, rage, disdain:
But ah, alas! in vain my mind, sight, thought,
Doth him, his face, his words, leave, shun, refrain.
For nothing, time, nor place, can loose, quench, ease
Mine own embraced, sought, knot, fire, disease.

Next 10 Poems

• Sir Philip Sidney : Voices At The Window
• Sir Philip Sidney : When Love Puffed Up With Rage Of High Disdain
• Sir Philip Sidney : Wooing-stuff
• Sir Philip Sidney : You Gote-heard Gods
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Answers
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Aubade
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Bells Of Gray Crystal
• Dame Edith Sitwell : By The Lake
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Came The Great Popinjay
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Clowns' Houses

Previous 10 Poems

• Sir Philip Sidney : Verses ( No, No, No, No )
• Sir Philip Sidney : Verses
• Sir Philip Sidney : Two Pastorals
• Sir Philip Sidney : Translation From Horace, Book Ii. Ode X., Beginning 'rectius Vives, Licini,' &c.
• Sir Philip Sidney : To The Tune Of A Neapolitan Villanel
• Sir Philip Sidney : To The Sad Moon
• Sir Philip Sidney : Thou Blind Man's Mark
• Sir Philip Sidney : This Lady's Cruelty
• Sir Philip Sidney : The Smokes Of Melancholy
• Sir Philip Sidney : The Seven Wonders Of England