Venus and Adonis (Modern)
Peer Reviewed
¶"Is thine own heart to thine own face affected?
¶Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left?
¶Then woo thyself; be of thyself rejected;
160Steal thine own freedom; and complain on theft.
¶_Narcissus so himself himself forsook,
¶_And died to kiss his shadow in the brook.
¶"Torches are made to light, jewels to wear,
¶Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use,
165Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear.
¶Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse,
¶_Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth beauty.
¶_Thou wast begot; to get it is thy duty.
¶"Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feed,
170Unless the earth with thy increase be fed?
¶By law of nature thou art bound to breed,
¶That thine may live when thou thyself art dead;
¶_And so in spite of death thou dost survive,
¶_In that thy likeness still is left alive."
