Astrophil and Stella: 6th Sonnet

by Philip Sidney

Some Lovers speake, when they their Muses entertaine
Of hopes begot, by feare, of wot not what desires,
Of force of heavenly beames, infusing hellish paine;
Of lyving deathes, deere woundes, faire Stormes, and friesing fyres.
Some one his songs in Jove and Joves straunge tales attyres,
Bordered with Bulles and Swannes, poudered with golden raine:
Another humbler witte to shepheards pipe retyres,
Yet hiding royall blood, full oft in Rurall vaine.
To some a sweetest plaint a sweetest stile affordes,
Whiles teares poure out his inke, and sighes breathe
His paper pale despaire, and paine his penne doth move.
I can speake what I feele, and feele as much as they,
But thinke that all the mappe of my state I display,
When trembling voice brings foorth, that I do Stella love.


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