The Bait

John Donne


Come with me and be my love,
And we will some new pleasure prove
Of golden sands and crystal brooks:
With silken lines and silver hooks.

There will the river whispering run
Warmed by thine eyes more than the sun.
And there the enamored fish will stay,
Begging themselves they may betray.

When thou will swim in that live bath,
Each fish, which every channel hath,
Will amorously to thee swim,
Gladder to catch thee, than thou him.

If thou to be so seen be'st loath
By sun, or moon, thou dark'nest both,
And if myself have leave to see,
I need not their light, having thee
.

Let others freeze with angling reeds,
And cut their legs, with shells and weeds,
Or treacherously poor fish beset,
With strangling snare, or windowy net:

Let coarse bold hands, from slimy nest
The bedded fish in banks out-wrest,
Or curious traitors, sleavesilk flies,
Bewitch poor fishes' wandering eyes.

For thee, thou need'st no such deceit,
For thou thyself art thine own bait;
That fish, that is not catch'd thereby,
Alas, is wiser far than I.

 




John Donne

Great Poets & Playwrights


Go
Home

Baby
Bits

Nursery
Rhymes

For The
Teacher

Little
Rhymes
Australian
Fairytales

List Of
Contents

eXTReMe Tracker