The Cryer

    Good Folke, for Gold or Hyre,
    But helpe me to a Cryer;
For my poore Heart is runne astray
After two Eyes, that pass'd this way.
        O yes, O yes, O yes,
        If there be any Man,
        In Towne or Countrey, can
        Bring me my Heart againe,
        Ile please him for his paine;
And by these Marks I will you show,
That onely I this Heart doe owe.
        It is a wounded Heart,
        Wherein yet sticks the Dart,
    Eu'ry piece sore hurt throughout it,
    Faith, and Troth, writ round about it:
It was a tame Heart, and a deare,
        And neuer vs'd to roame;
But hauing got this Haunt, I feare
        'Twill hardly stay at home.
For Gods sake, walking by the way,
        If you my Heart doe see,
Either impound it for a Stray,
        Or send it backe to me.

Michael Drayton

Michael Drayton was an English poet who produced a variety of work, including historical poems, sonnets, and a vast poem on the geography of England. His most significant contribution to poetry is the long historical epic "Poly-Olbion" which describes the topography and history of England and Wales. Drayton's poetry often reflects his staunch patriotism and deep scholarly interest in English history.

Michael Drayton

Amour 50

Michael Drayton, Simple Poetry

To My Most Dearely-Loued Friend Henery Reynolds Esquire, Of Poets & Poesie

Michael Drayton, Simple Poetry

Sonnet 21

Michael Drayton, Simple Poetry

Sonet 57 To Lucie Countesse of Bedford

Michael Drayton, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

The Heart

If thus we needs must goe,
What shall our one Heart doe,
This One made of our Two?

Madame, two Hearts we brake,
And from them both did take
The best, one Heart to make.

Halfe this is of your Heart,
Mine in the other part,
Ioyn'd by our equall Art.

Were it cymented, or sowne,
By Shreds or Pieces knowne,
We each might find our owne.

But 'tis dissolu'd, and fix'd,
And with such cunning mix'd,
No diffrence that betwixt.

But how shall we agree,
By whom it kept shall be,
Whether by you, or me?

It cannot two Brests fill,
One must be heartlesse still,
Vntill the other will.

It came to me one day,
When I will'd it to say,
With whether it would stay?

It told me, in your Brest,
W...

Michael Drayton

Vpon The Death Of His Incomparable Friend Sir Henry Raynsford Of Clifford

    Could there be words found to expresse my losse,
There were some hope, that this my heauy crosse
Might be sustained, and that wretched I
Might once finde comfort: but to haue him die
Past all degrees that was so deare to me;
As but comparing him with others, hee
Was such a thing, as if some Power should say
I'le take Man on me, to shew men the way
What a friend should be. But words come so short
Of him, that when I thus would him report,
I am vndone, and hauing nought to say,
Mad at my selfe, I throwe my penne away,
And beate my breast, that there should be a woe
So high, that words cannot attaine thereto.
T'is strange that I from my abundant breast,
Who others sorrowes haue so well exprest:
Yet I by this in little time am growne
So poore, that I want...

Michael Drayton

From Eclogue ij

Vppon a bank with roses set about,
Where pretty turtles ioyning bil to bill,
And gentle springs steale softly murmuring out
Washing the foote of pleasures sacred hill:
There little loue sore wounded lyes,
His bowe and arowes broken,
Bedewd with teares from Venus eyes
Oh greeuous to be spoken.

Beare him my hart slaine with her scornefull eye
Where sticks the arrowe that poore hart did kill,
With whose sharp pile request him ere he die,
About the same to write his latest will,
And bid him send it backe to mee,
At instant of his dying,
That cruell cruell shee may see
My faith and her denying.

His chappell be a mournefull Cypresse Shade,
And for a chauntry Philomels sweet lay,
Where prayers shall continually be made
By pilgrim louers pas...

Michael Drayton

Amour 33

Whilst thus mine eyes doe surfet with delight,
My wofull hart, imprisond in my breast,
Wishing to be trans-formd into my sight,
To looke on her by whom mine eyes are blest;
But whilst mine eyes thus greedily doe gaze,
Behold! their obiects ouer-soone depart,
And treading in this neuer-ending maze,
Wish now to be trans-formd into my hart:
My hart, surcharg'd with thoughts, sighes in abundance raise,
My eyes, made dim with lookes, poure down a flood of tears;
And whilst my hart and eye enuy each others praise,
My dying lookes and thoughts are peiz'd in equall feares:
    And thus, whilst sighes and teares together doe contende,
    Each one of these doth ayde vnto the other lende.

Michael Drayton

An Amovret Anacreontick

Most good, most faire,
Or Thing as rare,
To call you's lost;
For all the cost
Words can bestow,
So poorely show
Vpon your prayse,
That all the wayes
Sense hath, come short:
Whereby Report
Falls them vnder;
That when Wonder
More hath seyzed,
Yet not pleased,
That it in kinde
Nothing can finde,
You to expresse:
Neuerthelesse,
As by Globes small,
This Mightie ALL
Is shew'd, though farre
From Life, each Starre
A World being:
So wee seeing
You, like as that,
Onely trust what
Art doth vs teach;
And when I reach
At Morall Things,
And that my Strings
Grauely should strike,
Straight some mislike
Blotteth mine ODE.
As with the Loade,
The Steele we touch,
Forced ne'r so much,

Michael Drayton

To His Rivall

    Her lou'd I most,
    By thee that 's lost,
Though she were wonne with leasure;
    She was my gaine,
    But to my paine,
Thou spoyl'st me of my Treasure.

    The Ship full fraught
    With Gold, farre sought,
Though ne'r so wisely helmed,
    May suffer wracke
    In sayling backe,
By Tempest ouer-whelmed.

    But shee, good Sir,
    Did not preferre
You, for that I was ranging;
    But for that shee
    Found faith in mee,
And she lou'd to be changing.

    Therefore boast not
    Your happy Lot,
Be silent now you haue her;
    The time I knew
    She slighted you,
When I was in her fauour.

    None stands so fast,
    But may be cast
By Fortune, and disgraced:
    Once did I ...

Michael Drayton