Strength poems
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The Lonely Land
© Arthur James Marshall Smith
Cedar and jagged firuplift sharp barbsagainst the grayand clouded-piled sky;and in the bayblown spume and windriftand thin, bitter spraysnapat the whirling sky;and the pine treeslean one way.
Astrophel and Stella: 41
© Sir Philip Sidney
Hauing this day my horse, my hand, my launceGuided so well that I obtain'd the prize,Both by the judgement of the English eyes,And of some sent from that sweet enemie Fraunce,Horsemen my skill in horsmanship advaunce:Towne-folkes my strength, a daintier judge appliesHis praise too slight, which from good vse doth rise:Some luckie wits impute it but to chaunce
Astrophel and Stella: 36
© Sir Philip Sidney
Stella, whence doth this new assault arise,A conquer'd golden ransackt heart to winne?Whereto long since through my long battred eyes;Whole armies of thy beauties entred in
Astrophel and Stella: 7
© Sir Philip Sidney
When Nature made her chiefe worke, Stellas eyes,In colour blacke, why wrapt she beames so bright?Would she in beamie black, like painter wise,Frame daintiest lustre, mixt of shades and light?Or did she else that sober hue deuise,In object best to knit and strength our sight,Least if no vaile these braue gleames did disguise,They sun-like should more dazle then delight?Or would she her miraculous power show,That whereas blacke seemes Beauties contrary,She euen in blacke doth make all beauties flow?Both so and thus, she minding Loue should bePlaced euer there, gaue him this mourning weed,To honour all their deaths, who for her bleed
Troilus and Cressida (excerpts): The heavens themselves, the planets, and this centre
© William Shakespeare
The Heavens themselves, the planets, and this centreObserve degree, priority, and place,Insisture, course, proportion, season, form,Office, and custom, in all line of order
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Tir'd with all these for restful death I cry
© William Shakespeare
Tir'd with all these, for restful death I cry,As to behold desert a begger born,And needy nothing trimm'd in jollity,And purest faith unhappily forsworn,And gilded honour shamefully misplac't,And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,And right perfection wrongfully disgrac'd,And strength by limping sway disablèd,And art made tongue-tied by authority,And folly (doctor-like) controlling skill,And simple-truth miscall'd simplicity,And captive-good attending captain-ill
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness
© William Shakespeare
Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness,Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport:Both grace and faults are lov'd of more and less
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Oh from what pow'r hast thou this pow'rful might
© William Shakespeare
Oh from what pow'r hast thou this pow'rful mightWith insufficiency my heart to sway,To make me give the lie to my true sightAnd swear that brightness doth not grace the day?Whence hast thou this becoming of things illThat in the very refuse of thy deedsThere is such strength and warrantise of skillThat in my mind thy worst all best exceeds?Who taught thee how to make me love thee more,The more I hear and see just cause of hate?Oh, though I love what others do abhor,With others thou should'st not abhor my state
Shakespeare's Sonnets: My love is strength'ned, though more weak in seeming
© William Shakespeare
My love is strength'ned, though more weak in seeming;I love not less, though less the show appear
Shakespeare's Sonnets: As an unperfect actor on the stage
© William Shakespeare
As an unperfect actor on the stage,Who with his fear is put besides his part,Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart,So I for fear of trust forget to sayThe perfect ceremony of love's right,And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,O'er-charg'd with burthen of mine own love's might:O let my books be then the eloquenceAnd dumb presagers of my speaking breast,Who plead for love and look for recompenceMore than that tongue that more hath more express't
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Against that time (if ever that time come)
© William Shakespeare
Against that time (if ever that time come)When I shall see thee frown on my defects,When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum,Call'd to that audit by advis'd respects,Against that time when thou shalt strangely passAnd scarcely greet me with that sun, thine eye,When love converted from the thing it wasShall reasons find of settled gravity;Against that time do I ensconce me hereWithin the knowledge of mine own desert,And this my hand against my self uprearTo guard the lawful reasons on thy part; To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws, Since why to love I can allege no cause
