One Day I Wrote Her Name Upon the Strand

Edmund Spenser

ONE day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washèd it away:
Again I wrote it with a second hand,
But came the tide and made my pains his prey.
Vain man (said she) that dost in vain assay
A mortal thing so to immortalize;
For I myself shall like to this decay,
And eke my name be wipèd out likewise.
Not so (quod I); let baser things devise
To die in dust, but you shall live by fame;
My verse your virtues rare shall eternize,
And in the heavens write your glorious name:
Where, whenas as death shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live, and later life renew.

1. strand: beach, 2. a second hand: a second handwriting, again, 3. Vain man (said she) that dost in vain assay A mortal thing so to immortalize: vain man, you are attempting to immortalize a mortal thing, here dost = does (A second person singular present tense), 4: quod: said, 5. like to this decay: similar to this decay. 6. devise: plan, plot, 7. eke: also, 8. baser things: lesser things, earthly things, 9. My verse your virtues rare shall eternize: my verse shall eternize your rare virtues, 10. whenas: when, 11 all the world subdue: subdue all the world
Also notice alliteration (头韵), for instance, waves and washed; love live later life

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