ON HER LOVING TWO EQUALLY

by: Aphra Behn

I.

      OW strongly does my passion flow,
      Divided equally 'twixt two?
      Damon had ne'er subdued my heart,
      Had not Alexis took his part;
      Nor could Alexis powerful prove,
      Without my Damon's aid, to gain my love.
       
      II.
       
      When my Alexis present is,
      Then I for Damon sigh and mourn;
      But when Alexis I do miss,
      Damon gains nothing but my scorn.
      But if it chance they both are by,
      For both alike I languish, sigh, and die.
       
      III.
       
      Cure then, thou mighty winged god,
      This restless fever in my blood;
      One golden-pointed dart take back:
      But which, O Cupid, wilt thou take?
      If Damon's, all my hopes are crossed;
      Or that of my Alexis, I am lost.
       

'On her Loving Two Equally' first appeared as 'How Strangely does my Passion grow' in The False Count (1682). It was reprinted in Poems on Several Occasions (1684). The 1684 version is printed here.

MORE POEMS BY APHRA BEHN

RELATED WEBSITES

  • Aphra Behn - A biography of the British poet and dramatist.
  • Aphra Behn - A biography of the British dramatist and spy for England, code-named "Astrea" or Agent 160.
  • Purchase books by Aphra Behn

BROWSE THE POETRY ARCHIVE:

[ A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z ]

Home · Poetry Store · Links · Email · © 2002 Poetry-Archive.com