William Browne (1590?-1645?) was an English poet, born at Tavistock, Devon, educated at Oxford, after which he entered the Inner Temple. His poems, which are mainly descriptive, are rich and flowing, and true to the phenomena of nature, but deficient in interest. Influenced by Spenser, he in turn had an influence upon such poets as Milton and Keats. His chief works were Britannia's Pastorals (1613), and The Shepheard's Pipe (1614).
past and future
MY future will not copy fair my past
On any leaf but Heaven's. Be fully done,
Supernal Wil...[read poem]
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On any leaf but Heaven's. Be fully done,
Supernal Wil...
my heart and i
ENOUGH ! we're tired, my heart and I.
We sit beside the headstone thus,
And wish tha...[read poem]
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We sit beside the headstone thus,
And wish tha...
mother and poet
Dead ! One of them shot by the sea in the east,
And one of them shot in the west by the sea....[read poem]
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And one of them shot in the west by the sea....
the lady's yes
" Yes !" I answered you last night ;
" No !" this morning, Sir, I say !
Colours, seen b...[read poem]
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" No !" this morning, Sir, I say !
Colours, seen b...
sonnets from the portuguese 26: i lived with visions
I lived with visions for my company,
Instead of men and women, years ago,
And found them g...[read poem]
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Instead of men and women, years ago,
And found them g...
the cry of the children
"Theu theu, ti prosderkesthe m ommasin, tekna;"
[[Alas, alas, why do you gaze at me with your e...[read poem]
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[[Alas, alas, why do you gaze at me with your e...
to flush, my dog
LOVING friend, the gift of one,
Who, her own true faith, hath run,
Through thy lower nat...[read poem]
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Who, her own true faith, hath run,
Through thy lower nat...
sonnets from the portuguese 22: when our two souls
When our two souls stand up erect and strong,
Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,...[read poem]
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Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,...
britannia's pastorals
Now as an angler melancholy standing
Upon a green bank yielding room for landing,
A wriggl...[read poem]
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Upon a green bank yielding room for landing,
A wriggl...
a musical instrument
WHAT was he doing, the great god Pan,
Down in the reeds by the river ?
Spreading ruin a...[read poem]
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Down in the reeds by the river ?
Spreading ruin a...
sonnets from the portuguese 35: if i leave all for thee
If I leave all for thee, wilt thou exchange
And be all to me? Shall I never miss
Home-talk...[read poem]
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And be all to me? Shall I never miss
Home-talk...
sonnets from the portuguese 28: my letters!
My letters! all dead paper, ... mute and white ! --
And yet they seem alive and quivering
...[read poem]
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And yet they seem alive and quivering
...
only a curl
FRIENDS of faces unknown and a land
Unvisited over the sea,
Who tell me how lonely you ...[read poem]
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Unvisited over the sea,
Who tell me how lonely you ...
sonnets from the portuguese 14: if thou
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
`I love...[read poem]
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Except for love's sake only. Do not say
`I love...
sonnets from the portuguese 20: beloved, my beloved
Beloved, my Beloved, when I think
That thou wast in the world a year ago,
What time I sate...[read poem]
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That thou wast in the world a year ago,
What time I sate...
sonnets from the portuguese 6: go from me
Go from me. Yet I feel that I shall stand
Henceforward in thy shadow. Nevermore
Alone upon...[read poem]
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Henceforward in thy shadow. Nevermore
Alone upon...
sonnets from the portuguese 1: i thought how theocritus
I thought once how Theocritus had sung
Of the sweet years, the dear and wished for years,
...[read poem]
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Of the sweet years, the dear and wished for years,
...
sonnets from the portuguese 43: how do i love thee?
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height...[read poem]
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I love thee to the depth and breadth and height...
sonnets from the portuguese 7: the face
The face of all the world is changed, I think,
Since first I heard the footsteps of thy soul...[read poem]
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Since first I heard the footsteps of thy soul...
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