43
When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
For all the day they view things unrespected;
But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. 4
Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,
How would thy shadow's form form happy show
To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so! 8
How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made
By looking on thee in the living day,
When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade
Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay! 12
All days are nights to see till I see thee,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
44
If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way;
For then, despite of space, I would be brought,
From limits far remote, where thou dost stay. 4
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the furthest earth remov'd from thee;
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land,
As soon as think the place where he would be. 8
But, ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,
But that, so much of earth and water wrought,
I must attend time's leisure with my moan; 12
Receiving nought by elements so slow
But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.
1 wink: close my eyes
2 unrespected: unworthy of notice
4 darkly: in the dark
5 whose shadow . . . bright: whose remembered image makes darkness bright
4 where: to the place where
6 furthest earth remov'd: plot of earth most remote
9 thought kills me: melancholy kills me (?), it kills me to think (?)
11 wrought: made, created
14 badges of either's woe; cf. n.
