Love and Time

Sister awake! Close not your eyes,
  The day her light discloses,
And the bright morning doth arise,
  Out of her bed of roses.

See the clear sun, the world's bright eye,
  In at our window peeping;
Lo! how he blusheth to espy
  Us idle wenches, sleeping!

Therefore awake! make Haste, I say,
  And let us, without staying,
All in our gowns of green so gay
  Into the park a-maying!

Ah! how sweet it is to love;
how gay is young desire!
And what pleasing pains we prove,
When first we feel a lover's fire;
Pains of love are sweeter far,
Than all other pleasures are.

I feed a flame within which so torments me 
That it both pains my heart, and yet contents me: 
'Tis such a pleasing smart, and I so love it, 
That I had rather die than once remove it. 

Yet he for whom I grieve shall never know it 
My heart does not betray nor my eyes show it 
Not a sigh, nor a tear my pain discloses 
But they fall silently like dew on roses 

Thus, to prevent my love from being cruel 
My heart's the sacrifice as it's the fuel. 
And while I suffer thus to give him quiet 
My faith rewards my love though he deny it 

On his eyes will I gaze, and there delight me 
While I conceal my love no frown can fright me. 
To be more happy I dare not aspire 
Nor can I fall more low mounting no higher.

Come, let us now resolve at last
To live and love in quiet:
Well tie the knot so very fast
That Time shall ne'er untie it.

The truest joys they seldom prove
Who free from quarrels live:
"Tis the most tender part of Love
Each other to forgive.

When least I seem'd concern'd, I tock
No pleasure nor no rest;
And when I feign'd an angry look,
Alas! I loved you best.

Own but the same to me — you'll find
How blest will be our fate.
O to be happy — to be kind —
Sure never is too late!