E C Esquire

1500-1600 / England

Sonnet Xxxiv

Emaricdulf
loue is a holy fire
That burnes vnseene, and yet not burning seene:
Free of himselfe, yet chain'd with strong desire:
Conquerd by thee, yet triumphs in thy eine:
An eye-bewitching vision thee in seeming,
That shadow-like flyes from a louers eyes:
An heauen aspiring spirit voyd of seeing:
A gentle god, yet loues to tyrannize:
Bond-slaue to honour, burthen of conceit,
The only god of thine eyes Hyrarkie,
Decay of friendship, grandsire of deceit,
More then a god, yet wants a monarkie:
Bastard of nature that to heauen did clime,
To seeme the misbegotten heire of time.
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