Idea XX: An evil spirit, your beauty, haunts me still

Michael Drayton 1563 (Hartshill) – 1631 (London)



An evil spirit, your beauty, haunts me still,
   Wherewith, alas, I have been long possess'd,
   Which ceaseth not to tempt me to each ill,
   Nor gives me once but one poor minute's rest.
   In me it speaks, whether I sleep or wake;
   And when by means to drive it out I try,
   With greater torments then it me doth take,
   And tortures me in most extremity.
   Before my face it lays down my despairs,
  And hastes me on unto a sudden death;
  Now tempting me to drown myself in tears,
  And then in sighing to give up my breath.
  Thus am I still provok'd to every evil
  By this good-wicked spirit, sweet angel-devil.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

35 sec read
53

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCDCEFGFGHH
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 619
Words 115
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

Michael Drayton

Michael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era. more…

All Michael Drayton poems | Michael Drayton Books

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    "Idea XX: An evil spirit, your beauty, haunts me still" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/28102/idea-xx:-an-evil-spirit,-your-beauty,-haunts-me-still>.

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