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The Picture Lyrics by Abraham Cowley

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Here, take my likeness with you, whilst 'tis so;
For when from hence you go,
The next sun's rising will behold
Me pale, and lean, and old.
The man who did this picture draw,
Will swear next day my face he never saw.
I really believe, within a while,
If you upon this shadow smile,
Your presence will such vigour give,
(Your presence which makes all things live)
And absence so much alter me,
This will the substance, I the shadow be.
When from your well-wrought cabinet you take it,
And your bright looks awake it;
Ah, be not frighted, if you see,
The new-soul'd picture gaze on thee,
And hear it breath a sigh or two;
For those are the first things that it will do.
My Rival-Image will be then thought blest,
And laugh at me as dispossesed;
But Thou, who (if I know thee right)
I'th' substance does not much delight,
Wilt rather send again for me,
Who then shall but my picture's picture be.
Credits
Abraham Cowley

Abraham Cowley

About “The Picture” by Abraham Cowley

Read the complete lyrics to "The Picture" by Abraham Cowley. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"The Picture" is performed by Abraham Cowley. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Picture", explore more songs by Abraham Cowley using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Picture" is credited to Abraham Cowley. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "The Picture" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the Abraham Cowley artist page at /artist/abraham-cowley for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.