Begging Another,
On Colour of Mending the Former

by Ben Jonson


  For Love's sake, kiss me once again,
  I long, and should not beg in vain,
      Here's none to spy or see ;
          Why do you doubt or stay?
      I'll taste as lightly as the bee,
That doth but touch his flower, and flies away.

  Once more, and, faith, I will be gone,
  Can he that loves ask less than one ?
      Nay, you may err in this,
          And all your bounty wrong :
      This could be called but half a kiss,
What we're but once to do, we should do long.

  I will but mend the last, and tell
  Where, how it would have relished well ;
      Join lip to lip, and try :
          Each suck the other's breath,
      And whilst our tongues perplexed lie,
Let who will think us dead, or wish our death.



Source:
Jonson, Ben. The Works of Ben Jonson, vol. 3.
London: Chatto & Windus, 1910. 282.



Venus and Adonis, 1620-78. Jacob Jordaens.
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Created by Anniina Jokinen on September 4, 1996. Last updated on November 7, 2006.