Sir Walter Raleigh

The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd

If all the world and love were young,
And truth in every shepherd's tongue,
These pretty pleasures might me move
To live with thee and be thy love.

Time drives the flocks from field to fold
When rivers rage and rocks grow cold,
And Philomel becometh dumb;
The rest complains of cares to come.

The flowers do fade, and wanton fields
To wayward winter reckoning yields;
A honey tongue, a heart of gall,
Is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall.

Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses,
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies
Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten-
In folly ripe, in season rotten.

Thy belt of straw and ivy buds,
Thy coral clasps and amber studs,
All these in me no means can move
To come to thee and be thy love.

But could youth last and love still breed,
Had joys no date nor age no need,
Then these delights my mind might move
To live with thee and be thy love.

Love, romance and relationship quotes for your soul

• 'A simple I love you means more than money ...'
  ~ Frank Sinatra
• 'I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for their religion - I have shudder'd at it. I shudder no more.
  I could be martyr'd for my religion. Love is my religion.
  And I could die for that. I could die for you.'
  ~ John Keats
• 'Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.'
  ~ Peter Ustinov