Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/113

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With thee, that thou shalt clean forego

Remembrance of thyself, nor know

What thing thou dost, but all alone

Shalt stand, as dumb as stock or stone

That hath no voice or power to move

Hand, foot, or eye—spell-bound by love.

At last, when thou long time hast been

Like man of wood or wax, I ween,

Then shalt thou sigh, and take thy breath

Long-drawn, as one might wake from death.

And wot ye well that ’tis thy fate,

As denizen of love’s estate,

To suffer bravely all such woe

As Love’s true soldiers needs must know.

And then remembering that ye are,

From her thou lov’st, aparted far,

Thy soul shall cry: “Oh! God, my lot

Is hard, that I myself may not

Go where she is: must then my heart

Alone come near her? why apart

Should we be thus condemned to dwell?

When I desire my feet as well

Should thither bear my heart, ah me!

Therein there would small profit be;

For if my heart hath not mine eyes

For guide, their vision nought I prize.

And should they then abide here? Nay,

But haste to see without delay

That precious sanctuary, which

The thought of doth mine heart make rich.

While my desire so fast doth go,

Myself I blame for dull and slow,