Poem: “The Passionate Shepherd Reborn To His Love”

Written in response to Christopher Marlowe’s poem “The Passionate Shepherd To His Love.”

Come live with me and be my love
And taste this world consisting of
Such sweets to dull our fervent hearts
And sweets to sucker puckered parts

And we shall choke upon delights
Of poisoned posies high as kites
And through these vessels ruffage pass
Replacing gravied meats with glass

And from such sandied, crystalled shards
We’ll make our bed which form retards
And lying, sleeping, weeping, say
“Hooray to pleasures of this day!”

But we shall shun these temptive arts
And turn to where our living starts
T’wards God, from earth, to love we try
Conjoin’ed hearts, as one we fly

And see this world as ne’er before
Emerging from the womb once more
If thy heart is His Word made of
Come live with me and be my love

We’ll taste the buds of risen Spring
These nectared notes from God we sing
If thy heart is His Word made of
Come live with me and be my love