Song I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCCDD EBEBFFEE GHGHIIJK LMNMOOEE PQRQSSEE SPSPTTUV NINIEENN IWIWSSEE XWXWWWII USUSSSII ESESYZA2A2 OB2OB2PUEE WC2WC2EEC2C2 C2SC2SSSEE B2SB2SIIII YCYCQQEE ISISEESS ZETEOOC2C2| Lordly gallants tell me this | A |
| Though my safe content you weigh not | B |
| In your greatness what one bliss | A |
| Have you gained that I enjoy not | B |
| You have honours you have wealth | C |
| I have peace and I have health | C |
| All the day I merry make | D |
| And at night no care I take | D |
| - | |
| Bound to none my fortunes be | E |
| This or that man's fall I fear not | B |
| Him I love that loveth me | E |
| For the rest a pin I care not | B |
| You are sad when others chaff | F |
| And grow merry as they laugh | F |
| I that hate it and am free | E |
| Laugh and weep as pleaseth me | E |
| - | |
| You may boast of favours shown | G |
| Where your service is applied | H |
| But my pleasures are mine own | G |
| And to no man's humour tied | H |
| You oft flatter sooth and feign | I |
| I such baseness do disdain | I |
| And to none be slave I would | J |
| Though my fetters might be gold | K |
| - | |
| By great titles some believe | L |
| Highest honours are attained | M |
| And yet kings have power to give | N |
| To their fools what these have gained | M |
| Where they favour there they may | O |
| All their names of honour lay | O |
| But I look not raised to be | E |
| 'Till mine own wing carry me | E |
| - | |
| Seek to raise your titles higher | P |
| They are toys not worth my sorrow | Q |
| Those that we to day admire | R |
| Prove the age's scorn to morrow | Q |
| Take your honours let me find | S |
| Virtue in a free born mind | S |
| This the greatest kings that be | E |
| Cannot give nor take from me | E |
| - | |
| Though I vainly do not vaunt | S |
| Large demesnes to feed my pleasure | P |
| I have favours where you want | S |
| That would buy respect with treasure | P |
| You have lands lie here and there | T |
| But my wealth is everywhere | T |
| And this addeth to my store | U |
| Fortune cannot make me poor | V |
| - | |
| Say you purchase with your pelf | N |
| Some respect where you importune | I |
| Those may love me for myself | N |
| That regard you for your fortune | I |
| Rich or born of high degree | E |
| Fools as well as you may be | E |
| But that peace in which I live | N |
| No descent nor wealth can give | N |
| - | |
| If you boast that you may gain | I |
| The respect of high born beauties | W |
| Know I never wooed in vain | I |
| Nor preferr d scorn d duties | W |
| She I love hath all delight | S |
| Rosy red with lily white | S |
| And whoe'er your mistress be | E |
| Flesh and blood as good as she | E |
| - | |
| Note of me was never took | X |
| For my woman like perfections | W |
| But so like a man I look | X |
| It hath gained me best affections | W |
| For my love as many showers | W |
| Have been wept as have for yours | W |
| And yet none doth me condemn | I |
| For abuse or scorning them | I |
| - | |
| Though of dainties you have store | U |
| To delight a choicer palate | S |
| Yet your taste is pleased no more | U |
| Than is mine in one poor sallet | S |
| You to please your senses feed | S |
| But I eat good blood to breed | S |
| And am most delighted then | I |
| When I spend it like a man | I |
| - | |
| Though you lord it over me | E |
| You in vain thereof have braved | S |
| For those lusts my servants be | E |
| Whereunto your minds are slaved | S |
| To yourselves you wise appear | Y |
| But alas deceived you are | Z |
| You do foolish me esteem | A2 |
| And are that which I do seem | A2 |
| - | |
| When your faults I open lay | O |
| You are moved and mad with vexing | B2 |
| But you ne'er could do or say | O |
| Aught to drive me to perplexing | B2 |
| Therefore my despis d power | P |
| Greater is by far than your | U |
| And whate'er you think of me | E |
| In your minds you poorer be | E |
| - | |
| You are pleas d more or less | W |
| As men well or ill report you | C2 |
| And show discontentedness | W |
| When the times forbear to court you | C2 |
| That in which my pleasures be | E |
| No man can divide from me | E |
| And my care it adds not to | C2 |
| Whatso others say or do | C2 |
| - | |
| Be not proud because you view | C2 |
| You by thousands are attended | S |
| For alas it is not you | C2 |
| But your fortune that's befriended | S |
| Where I show of love have got | S |
| Such a danger fear I not | S |
| Since they nought can seek of me | E |
| But for love beloved to be | E |
| - | |
| When your hearts have everything | B2 |
| You are pleasantly disposed | S |
| But I can both laugh and sing | B2 |
| Though my foes have me enclosed | S |
| Yea when dangers me do hem | I |
| I delight in scorning them | I |
| More than you in your renown | I |
| Or a king can in his crown | I |
| - | |
| You do bravely domineer | Y |
| Whilst the sun upon you shineth | C |
| Yet if any storm appear | Y |
| Basely then your mind declineth | C |
| But or shine or rain or blow | Q |
| I my resolutions know | Q |
| Living dying thrall or free | E |
| At one height my mind shall be | E |
| - | |
| When in thraldom I have lain | I |
| Me not worth your thought you prized | S |
| But your malice was in vain | I |
| For your favours I despised | S |
| And howe'er you value me | E |
| I with praise shall thought on be | E |
| When the world esteems you not | S |
| And your names shall be forgot | S |
| - | |
| In these thoughts my riches are | Z |
| Now though poor or mean you deem me | E |
| I am pleased and do not care | T |
| How the times or you esteem me | E |
| For those toys that make you gay | O |
| Are but play games for a day | O |
| And when nature craves her due | C2 |
| I as brave shall be as you | C2 |
George Wither
(1)
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