Her absence will not alter me

Tho' distant far from Jessy's charms,

I stretch in vain my longing arms,

Tho' parted by the deeps of sea,

Her absence will not alter me.

Tho' beauteous nymphs I see around,

A Chloris, Flora might be found,

Or Phyllis with her roving eye;

Her absence shall not alter me.

A fairer face, a sweeter smile,

Inconstant lovers may beguile,

But to my lass I'll constant be,

Nor shall her absence alter me.

Though laid on India's burning coast,

Or on the wide Atlantic tost,

My mind from love no pow'r could free,

Nor could her absence alter me.

For conqu'ring love is strong as death,

Like veh'ment flames his pow'rful breath,

Thro' floods unmov'd his course he keeps,

Ev'n thro' the sea's devouring deeps.

His veh'ment flames my bosom burn

Unchang'd they blaze till thy return;

My faithful Jessy then shall see,

Her absence has not alter'd me.