| Herbert J.C. Grierson, ed. (1886–1960). Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the 17th C. 1921. |
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| John Hoskins |
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| 20. Absence |
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| ABSENCE heare my protestation | |
| Against thy strengthe | |
| Distance and lengthe, | |
| Doe what thou canst for alteration: | |
| For harts of truest mettall | 5 |
| Absence doth joyne, and time doth settle. | |
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| Who loves a Mistris of right quality, | |
| His mind hath founde | |
| Affections grounde | |
| Beyond time, place, and all mortality: | 10 |
| To harts that cannot vary | |
| Absence is present, time doth tary: | |
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| My Sences want their outward motion | |
| Which now within | |
| Reason doth win, | 15 |
| Redoubled by her secret notion: | |
| Like rich men that take pleasure | |
| In hidinge more then handling treasure. | |
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| By absence this good means I gaine | |
| That I can catch her | 20 |
| Where none can watch her | |
| In some close corner of my braine: | |
| There I embrace and kiss her, | |
| And so enjoye her, and so misse her. | |
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