Farewell to Love
by Michael Drayton
Since there's not help, come let us kiss and part;
Nay, I am done, you get no more of me;
And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart,
That thus so cleanly I myself can free;
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again,
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we, one jot of former love retain.
Now, at the last gasp of love's latest breath,
When his pulse failing, passion speechless lies,
When faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And innocence is closing up his eyes,
Now, if thou woulds't, when all have given him over,
From death to life Thou might'st him yet recover.
A vers írója búcsúzik szerelmétõl, a búcsú okát nem ismerjük. A címzett érzéseirõl semmit sem tudunk meg, a beszélõ érzelmei azok, amik a verset áthatják. Fájdalom, keserûség, gúny, lemondás és a remény, hogy talán mégsem végleges a szakítás.