The Despairing Lover

By William Walsh (1662-1708).

Distracted with care
For Phillis the fair,
Since nothing could move her,
Poor Damon, her lover,
Resolves in despair        5
No longer to languish
Nor bear so much anguish;
But, mad with his love,
  To a precipice goes,
Where a leap from above        10
  Would soon finish his woes.

When in rage he came there,
Beholding how steep
The sides did appear,
And the bottom how deep;        15
His torments projecting,
And sadly reflecting
That a lover forsaken
  A new love may get,
But a neck when once broken        20
  Isn’t easily set:

And that he could die
Whenever he would,
But that he could live
But as long as he could:        25
How grievous soever
The torment might grow,
He scorned to endeavour
To finish it so;
And bold, unconcerned        30
  At thoughts of the pain,
He calmly returned
  To his cottage again.