The Given Heart

Abraham Cowley 1618 (London) – 1667 (London)



I wonder what those lovers mean, who say
     They have giv'n their hearts away.
     Some good kind lover tell me how;
   For mine is but a torment to me now.

    If so it be one place both hearts contain,
     For what do they complain?
     What courtesy can Love do more,
   Than to join hearts that parted were before?

    Woe to her stubborn heart, if once mine come
    Into the self-same room;
    'Twill tear and blow up all within,
  Like a granado shot into a magazine.

   Then shall Love keep the ashes, and torn parts,
    Of both our broken hearts:
    Shall out of both one new one make,
  From hers, th' allay; from mine, the metal take.

   For of her heart he from the flames will find
    But little left behind:
    Mine only will remain entire;
  No dross was there, to perish in the fire.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 02, 2023

44 sec read
130

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABB CCDD XXXX EEFF GGHH
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 798
Words 146
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Abraham Cowley

Abraham Cowley was an English poet born in the City of London late in 1618. He was one of the leading English poets of the 17th century, with 14 printings of his Works published between 1668 and 1721. more…

All Abraham Cowley poems | Abraham Cowley Books

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