by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
To his mistress objecting his age
Language: English
Am I dispis'd because you say, and I believe, that I am gray? know, Lady, you have but your day, and night will come, when men will swear Time has spilt snow upon your hair: Then when in your glass you seek, but find no rose-bud in your cheek, no, nor the bed to give the shew, where such a rare Carnation grew; and such a smiling Tulip too. Ah, then, too late, close in your chamber keeping, it will be told, that you are old, by those true tears y'are weeping.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674) [author's text not yet checked 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 Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "To his mistress objecting his age", from the collection Ayres and Dialogues, Book 1 [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 13
Word count: 92