...a collection of poems that sing, stun, or otherwise simply stick


Bethsabe's Song

Hot sun, cool fire, tempered with sweet air,
Black shade, fair nurse, shadow my white hair;
Shine sun; burn, fire; breathe, air, and ease me;
Black shade, fair nurse, shroud me and please me:
Shadow, my sweet nurse, keep me from burning,
Make not my glad cause cause of mourning.
                  Let not my beauty's fire
                  Inflame unstaid desire,
                  Nor pierce any bright eye
                  That wandereth lightly.


- George Peele.