O love, what love burns in my heart!
A love that dares not speak out loud its own name for fear of
Hurting those wonderful bejewelled ears;
A love so tender that it pains,
Pains my heart so to see your
Red lips and not kiss them;
A love that wants naught to hear
But your voice say to me,
“I want you” (or even “Hi.”)
O ye gods! What have I done?
What torture have I inflicted
On another that I should
Thus be tortured too! —
Pierced by the arrows of Eros
Have I been that not a moment goes by without my thoughts
Are not filled by that wondrous,
Kind, beautiful face!
O love, my dear — release me,
Forever release with cruel,
Hurting words, that my heart
May die to become stone!
May I feel no more the pangs
Of such a passion;
May I love no more, no!
Not another one should enter
My heart as you have!
Speak cruelly, my dear;
Clip the wings of Cupid
That he dare fly not.
O release me my love, that
None, no! — a name
Not yours shall ever enter
My poor heart. Yet do — release me,
For I know that you love me not
Nor regard this poor beating bloody heart of mine.
