by John Donne (1572 - 1631)
Negative love
        Language: English 
        
        
        
        
        I never stoop'd so low, as they
Which on an eye, cheek, lip, can prey;
    Seldom to them which soar no higher
    Than virtue, or the mind to admire.
For sense and understanding may
    Know what gives fuel to their fire;
My love, though silly, is more brave;
For may I miss, whene'er I crave,
If I know yet what I would have.
If that be simply perfectest,
Which can by no way be express'd
    But negatives, my love is so.
    To all, which all love, I say no.
If any who deciphers best,
    What we know not -- ourselves -- can know,
Let him teach me that nothing. This
As yet my ease and comfort is,
Though I speed not, I cannot miss.
Text Authorship:
- by John Donne (1572 - 1631), "Negative love" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
 
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
-   by John Coolidge Adams (b. 1947), "Negative love", 1980-1, first performed 1981 [chorus and orchestra], from  Harmonium, no. 1. [text not verified]
 
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-09-18 
Line count: 18
Word count: 122