Follow thy Fair Sun

[143. Thomas Campion]

Follow thy fair sun, unhappy shadow,

Though thou be black as night,

And she made all of light;

Yet follow thy fair sun, unhappy shadow!

Follow her, whose light thy light depriveth!

Though here thou livest disgraced,

And she in heaven is placed;

Yet follow her whose light the world reviveth!

Follow those pure beams, whose beauty burneth!

That so have scorchèd thee;

As thou still black must be,

Till her kind beams thy black to brightness turneth!

Follow her, while yet her glory shineth!

There comes a luckless night

That will dim all her light;

And this the black unhappy shade divineth.

Follow still, since so thy Fates ordainèd!

The sun must have his shade,

Till both at once do fade;

The sun still proved, the shadow still disdainèd!