Poem 31 from "Astrophil and Stella" by Sir Philip Sidney

31

With how sad steps, ô Moone, thou climb’st the skies,
   How silently, and with how wanne a face,
   What, may it be that even in heav’nly place
That busie archer his sharpe arrowes tries?
Sure, if that long with Love acquainted eyes
   Can judge of Love, thou feel’st a Lover’s case;
   I reade it in thy lookes, thy languisht grace,
To me that feele the like, thy state descries.
   Then ev’n of fellowship, ô Moone, tell me
Is constant Love deem’d there but want of wit?
Are Beauties there as proud as here they be?
Do they above love to be lov’d, and yet
   Those Lovers scorne whom that Love doth possesse?
   Do they call Vertue there ungratefulnesse?

Source of the text - The Poems of Sir Philip Sidney, Edited by William A. Ringler, Jr.  Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1962, page 180.

TJB: Hanging out the passenger side, the poet moans a sonnet with 5 questions of the moon, with 8 uses of "love," a classic octave & a manic sestet.