I cannot hide from thee how much I fear
The whispers breathed by flatterers in thine ear
Against my faith: — but turn not, oh! I pray,
That heart so true, so faithful, so sincere,
So humble and so frank, to me so dear,
O lady turn it not from me away!
So may I lose my hawk ere he can spring,
Borne from my hand by some bold falcon’s wing,
Mangled and torn before my very eye,
If every word thou utterest does not bring
More joy to me than fortune’s favoring,
Or all the bliss another’s love might buy!
So, with my shield on my neck, mid storm and rain,
With vizor blinding me, and shortened rein,
With stirrups far too long, so may I ride;
So may my trotting charger give me pain,
So may the ostler treat me with disdain,
As they who tell those tales have grossly lied!
When I approacheth the gaming board to play,
May I not turn a penny all the day;
Or may the board be shut, the dice untrue,
If the truth dwell not in me when I say,
No other fair e’er wiled my heart away
From her I’ve long desired and loved — from you!
Or, prisoner to some noble, may I fill,
Together with three more, some dungeon chill,
Unto each other odious company;–
Let master, servants, porters, try their skill,
And use me for a target if they will,
If ever I have loved aught else but thee!
So many another knight make love to you,
And so may I be puzzled what to do;
So may I be becalm’d ‘mid oceans wide;
May the king’s porter beat me black and blue,
And may I fly ere I the battle view,
As they that slander me have grossly lied!
(Bertran De Born)
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Bertran De Born Poems based on Topics: War & Peace, Belief & Faith, Pain, Sincerity, Truth, Spring, Kings & Queens, HappinessReaders Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: War & Peace Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Pain Poems, Happiness Poems, Belief & Faith Poems, Spring Poems, Truth Poems, Sincerity PoemsBased on Keywords: flatterers, stirrups, grossly, favoring, porters, shortened, gaming, approacheth, becalm, vizor, wiled