"A Farewell to False Love" (Sir Walter Raleigh, 1593)

Sir Walter Raleigh | Biography, Accomplishments, Roanoke, Death, & Facts | Britannica (image credit: Encyclopedia Britannica)

About Sir Walter Raleigh

"One of the most colorful, politically powerful members of the court of Queen Elizabeth I, Walter Raleigh (sometimes spelled Ralegh) is one personification of the English Renaissance. Born at Hayes Barton, Deveonshire, most likely in 1554, Raleigh came from a prominent family long associated with seafaring. In his mid-teens, Raleigh interrupted his education to fight with Huguenot forces in France. After returning to England in 1572, he attended Oxford University for two years and left without earning a degree to study law in London."

"One of the first examples of Raleigh's poetry appeared in 1576 as the preface to George Gasciogne's satire The Stele Glas."

"He was knighted in 1585 and in 1587 was named captain of the Queen's personal guard. The majority of Raleigh's poetry was written during this period, much of it designed to flatter Elizabeth and secure her royal favor."

"Elizabeth's successor, James I, disliked and distrusted Raleigh and in July 1603 charged him with treason. He was tried in November. Convicted and sentenced to death...where he spent the next 13 years. During this time, he wrote The History of the world, considered by many a literary, if not a historical, masterpiece. Raleigh eventually convinced King James to release him to lead an expedition to find gold and silver in South America."

"The expedition was a disaster...[and] Upon his return to England, he was again imprisoned and his order of execution reinstated. Raleigh was beheaded outside the palace of Westminster on October 29, 1618." 

To read more about Sir Walter Raleigh and read some of his poems, refer to poetryfoundation.org/poets/sir-walter-ralegh.

 "A Farewell to False Love" (Sir Walter Raleigh, 1593)

             Farewell, false love, the oracle of lies,
             A mortal foe and enemy to rest,
             An envious boy, from whom all cares arise,
             A bastard vile, a beast with rage possessed,
             A way of error, a temple full of treason,
             In all effects contrary unto reason.

             A poisoned serpent covered all with flowers,
             Mother of sighs, and murderer of repose,
             A sea of sorrows whence are drawn such showers
             As moisture lend to every grief that grows;
             A school of guile, a net of deep deceit,
             A gilded hook that holds a poisoned bait.

             A fortress foiled, which reason did defend,
             A siren song, a fever of the mind,
             A maze wherein affection finds no end,
             A raging cloud that runs before the wind,
             A substance like the shadow of the sun,
             A goal of grief for which the wisest run.

             A quenchless fire, a nurse of trembling fear,
             A path that leads to peril and mishap,
             A true retreat of sorrow and despair,
             An idle boy that sleeps in pleasure's lap,
             A deep mistrust of that which certain seems,
             A hope of that which reason doubtful deems.

             Sith then thy trains my younger years betrayed,
             And for my faith ingratitude I find;
             And sith repentance hath my wrongs bewrayed,
             Whose course was ever contrary to kind:
             False love, desire, and beauty frail, adieu!
             Dead is the root whence all these fancies grew. 
 
Response Poems:
 
Note: one student wrote a response poem but requested to not be listed and so it is not shown here. 

"Untitled" (subbie, Uni High, 2026)
         
        Love, like a maze, stretches on forevermore. Shall there be true or false in its core? Ruin or life,             you may choose, though never a middle, not an option for those.
 
"Untitled" (subbie, Uni High, 2026)
 
        love is locked
        full box't
        opps got glock't
        roddy rich got an itch
        rod wave with the stitch
        jeans are too baggy
        too saggy with no swaggy 

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