John Donne
The Flea
Mark but this flea, and mark in this, | ||
How little that which thou denyst me is; | ||
It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, | ||
And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be. | ||
5 | Thou knowst that this cannot be said | |
A sin, or shame, or loss of maidenhead, | ||
Yet this enjoys before it woo, | ||
And pampered swells with one blood made of two, | ||
And this, alas, is more than we would do. | ||
10 | Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, | |
Where we almost, yea more than married are. | ||
This flea is you and I, and this | ||
Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is. | ||
Though parents grudge, and you, ware met, | ||
15 | And cloistered in these living walls of jet. | |
Though use make you apt to kill me, | ||
Let not to that, self murder added be, | ||
And sacrilege, three sins in killing three. | ||
Cruel and sudden, hast thou since | ||
20 | Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence? | |
Wherein could this flea guilty be, | ||
Except in that drop which it sucked from thee? | ||
Yet thou triumphst, and sayst that thou | ||
Findst not thyself, nor me the weaker now; | ||
25 | Tis true, then learn how false, fears be. | |
Just so much honour, when thou yieldst to me, | ||
Will waste, as this fleas death took life from thee. | ||
Robert Clark