| Herbert J.C. Grierson, ed. (1886–1960). Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the 17th C. 1921. |
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| John Donne |
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| 16. The Blossome |
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| LITTLE think'st thou, poore flower, | |
| Whom I have watch'd sixe or seaven dayes, | |
| And seene thy birth, and seene what every houre | |
| Gave to thy growth, thee to this height to raise, | |
| And now dost laugh and triumph on this bough, | 5 |
| Little think'st thou | |
| That it will freeze anon, and that I shall | |
| To morrow finde thee falne, or not at all. | |
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| Little think'st thou poore heart | |
| That labour'st yet to nestle thee, | 10 |
| And think'st by hovering here to get a part | |
| In a forbidden or forbidding tree, | |
| And hop'st her stiffenesse by long siege to bow: | |
| Little think'st thou, | |
| That thou to morrow, ere that Sunne doth wake, | 15 |
| Must with this Sunne, and mee a journey take. | |
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| But thou which lov'st to bee | |
| Subtile to plague thy selfe, wilt say, | |
| Alas, if you must goe, what's that to mee? | |
| Here lyes my businesse, and here I will stay: | 20 |
| You goe to friends, whose love and meanes present | |
| Various content | |
| To your eyes, eares, and tongue, and every part. | |
| If then your body goe, what need you a heart? | |
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| Well then, stay here; but know, | 25 |
| When thou hast stayd and done thy most; | |
| A naked thinking heart, that makes no show, | |
| Is to a woman, but a kinde of Ghost; | |
| How shall shee know my heart; or having none, | |
| Know thee for one? | 30 |
| Practise may make her know some other part, | |
| But take my word, shee doth not know a Heart. | |
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| Meet mee at London, then, | |
| Twenty dayes hence, and thou shalt see | |
| Mee fresher, and more fat, by being with men, | 35 |
| Then if I had staid still with her and thee. | |
| For Gods sake, if you can, be you so too: | |
| I would give you | |
| There, to another friend, whom wee shall finde | |
| As glad to have my body, as my minde. | 40 |
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