@Tired-but-passionate
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
by Christopher Marlowe
Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove,
That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods, or steepy mountain yields.
And we will sit upon the Rocks,
Seeing the Shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow Rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing Madrigals.
And I will make thee beds of Roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of Myrtle;
A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty Lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;
A belt of straw and Ivy buds,
With Coral clasps and Amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love.
The Shepherds’ Swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me, and be my love.
The Knight’s Reply to the Shepherd
by me, Tired-but-passionate
If I were free and the land had no laws
Your sweet words might give me pause
Had I not made such holy oath
I would go to thee to be betrothed
I do not sit upon the rocks
By rivers, to watch the shepherds' flocks
I march upon bloodied soil
To ride into battle is my toil
Roses and posies are fragile things
Unlike the commands of His Highness the King
Such embroidery would be nothing underneath a boot
I could never know such softness here, without you
How I yearn for soft wool to drape around my waist
When all I have is chain mail to don in haste
My feet ache for those fair linèd slippers
But all I have is boots of leather
These pleasures have their merit
Indeed, I find that I wish to enjoy it
But what I want most is the distance between us closed
Then I would live and be thy love
