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 think not well of me, <br /> What care I how fair she be? <br /> <br />Shall my silly heart be pined <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-deservings known <br />Make me quite forget my own? <br />Be she with that goodness blest <br />Which may merit 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 />She that bears a noble mind, <br />If not outward helps she find, <br />Thinks what with them he would do <br />That without them dares her 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/the-lover-s-resolution/
