Shall I wasting in despair <br />Die because a woman's fair? <br />Or make pale my cheeks with care <br />'Cause another's rosy are? <br />Be she fairer than the day, <br />Or the flow'ry meads in May, <br />If she be not so to me, <br />What care I how fair she be? <br /> <br />Shall my heart be griev'd or pin'd <br />'Cause I see a woman kind? <br />Or a well-disposed nature <br />Joined with a lovely feature? <br />Be she meeker, kinder, than <br />Turtle dove or pelican, <br />If she be not so to me, <br />What care I how kind she be? <br /> <br />Shall a woman's virtues move <br />Me to perish for her love? <br />Or her well-deserving known <br />Make me quite forget mine own? <br />Be she with that goodness blest <br />Which may gain her name of best <br />If she be not such to me, <br />What care I, how good she be? <br /> <br />'Cause her fortune seems too high <br />Shall I play the fool and die? <br />Those that bear a noble mind, <br />Where they want of riches find, <br />Think what with them they would <br />That without them dare to woo; <br />And unless that mind I see, <br />What care I how great she be? <br /> <br />Great, or good, or kind, or fair, <br />I will ne'er the more despair; <br />If she love me, this believe, <br />I will die ere she shall grieve; <br />If she slight me when I woo, <br />I can scorn and let her go; <br />For if she be not for me, <br />What care I for whom she be?<br /><br />George Wither<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/shall-i-wasting-in-despair/
