Sir Edward Dyer's Love is Love

LOVE IS LOVE

The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall,
The fly her spleen, the little spark his heat:
The slender hairs cast shadows, though but small,
And bees have stings, although they be not great;
Seas have their source, and so have shallow springs;
And love is love, in beggars and in kings.

Where waters smoothest run, there deepest are the fords,
The dial stirs, yet none perceives it move;
The firmest faith is found in fewest words,
The turtles do not sing, and yet they love;
True hearts have ears and eyes, no tongues to speak;
They hear and see, and sigh, and then they break.
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Sir Edward Dyer (c1543-1607)
Diplomat, poet and friend to Sir Philip Sidney (see next post below),
Sir Edward Dyer was one of John Betjeman's favourite poets.