INDEED I must confess,
When souls mix ‘t is an happiness;
But not complete till bodies too do combine,
And closely as our minds together join:
But half of heaven the souls in glory taste,
Till by love in heaven, at last,
Their bodies too are plac’d.
In thy immortal part
Man, as well as I, thou art;
But something’t is that differs thee and me;
And we must one even in that difference be.
I thee, both as a man and woman, prize;
For a perfect love implies
Love in all capacities.
Can that for true love pass,
When a fair woman courts her glass?
Something unlike must in love’s likeness be;
His wonder is, one, and variety:
For he, whose soul nought but a soul can move,
Does a new Narcissus prove,
And his own image love.
That souls do beauty know,
‘T is to the bodies’ help they owe;
If, when they know ‘t, they straight abuse that trust,
And shut the body from’t, ‘t is as unjust
As if I brought my dearest friend to see
My mistress, and at th’ instant he
Should steal her quite from me.
(Abraham Cowley)
More Poetry from Abraham Cowley:
Abraham Cowley Poems based on Topics: Love, Man, Art, Sense & Perception, Fairness, Heaven, Happiness, Body, Success, Confession, Woman- To The Royal Society (excerpts) (Abraham Cowley Poems)
- Hymn To Light (Abraham Cowley Poems)
- To The Royal Society (Abraham Cowley Poems)
- Hymn. To Light (Abraham Cowley Poems)
- On the Death of Mr. Crashaw (Abraham Cowley Poems)
- On the Death of Mr. William Hervey (Abraham Cowley Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, Soul Poems, Heaven Poems, Fairness Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Happiness Poems, Success Poems, Art Poems, Woman Poems, Body PoemsBased on Keywords: implies, differs, from, capacities