Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MENAPHON'S SONG, by ROBERT GREENE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MENAPHON'S SONG, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Some say love / foolish love
Last Line: Labour for me, love rest in prince's bower.
Variant Title(s): Dispraise Of Love
Subject(s): Love; Love - Nature Of


SOME say Love,
Foolish Love,
Doth rule and govern all the gods:
I say Love,
Inconstant Love,
Sets men's senses far at odds.
Some swear Love,
Smooth-fac'd Love,
Is sweetest sweet that men can have:
I say Love,
Sour Love,
Makes virtue yield as beauty's slave:
A bitter sweet, a folly worst of all,
That forceth wisdom to be folly's thrall.

Love is sweet:
Wherein sweet?
In fading pleasures that do pain.
Beauty sweet:
Is that sweet,
That yieldeth sorrow for a gain?
If Love's sweet,
Herein sweet,
That minutes' joys are monthly woes:
'Tis not sweet,
That is sweet
Nowhere but where repentance grows.
Then love who list, if beauty be so sour;
Labour for me, Love rest in prince's bower.





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