A Letter to Her Husband

2My head, my heart, mine eyes, my life, nay more,

3My joy, my magazine, of earthly store,

4If two be one, as surely thou and I,

5How stayest thou there, whilst I at Ipswich lie?

6So many steps, head from the heart to sever,

7If but a neck, soon should we be together.

8I, like the Earth this season, mourn in black,

9My Sun is gone so far in's zodiac,

10Whom whilst I 'joyed, nor storms, nor frost I felt,

11His warmth such fridged colds did cause to melt.

12My chilled limbs now numbed lie forlorn;

13Return; return, sweet Sol, from Capricorn;

14In this dead time, alas, what can I more

15Than view those fruits which through thy heart I bore?

16Which sweet contentment yield me for a space,

17True living pictures of their father's face.

18O strange effect! now thou art southward gone,

19I weary grow the tedious day so long;

20But when thou northward to me shalt return,

21I wish my Sun may never set, but burn

22Within the Cancer of my glowing breast,

23The welcome house of him my dearest guest.

24Where ever, ever stay, and go not thence,

25Till nature's sad decree shall call thee hence;

26Flesh of thy flesh, bone of thy bone,

27I here, thou there, yet both but one.