John Keats: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

On

John Keats

“On” as printed in The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884).

John Keats: Collected Lyrics Text 26 1884 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsRomantic
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of John Keats, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Think not of it, sweet one, so;—

Give it not a tear;

Sigh thou mayst, and bid it go

Any—any where.

Do not look so sad, sweet one,—

Sad and fadingly;

Shed one drop then—it is gone—

Oh! 'twas born to die!

Still so pale? then dearest weep

Weep, I'll count the tears,

And each one shall be a bliss

For thee in after years.

Brighter has it left thine eyes

Than a sunny rill;

And thy whispering melodies

Are tenderer still.

Verse 2

Yet—as all things mourn awhile

At fleeting blisses;

Let us too; but be our dirge

A dirge of kisses.

1817.

Credits

Written by John Keats

Words by John Keats. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884), “On”

Every text in this 1884 collected edition is by John Keats (1795-1821), who died more than 200 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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