[Published by Hunt in "The Liberal", No. 3, 1823. Reprinted in
"Posthumous Poems", 1824, where it is dated December, 1817.]
1.
Honey from silkworms who can gather,
Or silk from the yellow bee?
The gra** may grow in winter weather
As soon as hate in me.
2.
Hate men who cant, and men who pray,
And men who rail like thee;
An equal pa**ion to repay
They are not coy like me.
3.
Or seek some slave of power and gold
To be thy dear heart's mate;
Thy love will move that bigot cold
Sooner than me, thy hate.
4.
A pa**ion like the one I prove
Cannot divided be;
I hate thy want of truth and love—
How should I then hate thee?
***