Chorus of Youths and Virgins poem – Alexander Pope

A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) , the greatest English poet of “Augustan” or Georgian period

Semichorus.

Oh Tyrant Love! hast thou possest

The prudent, learn’d, and virtuous breast?

Wisdom and wit in vain reclaim,

And Arts but soften us to feel thy flame.

Love, soft intruder, enters here,

But ent’ring learns to be sincere.

Marcus with blushes owns he loves,

And Brutus tenderly reproves.

Why, Virtue, dost thou blame desire,

Which Nature has imprest?

Why, Nature, dost thou soonest fire

The mild and gen’rous breast?

Chorus.

Love’s purer flames the Gods approve;

The Gods and Brutus bent to love:

Brutus for absent Portia sighs,

And sterner Cassius melts at Junia’s eyes.

What is loose love? a transient gust,

Spent in a sudden storm of lust,

A vapour fed from wild desire,

A wand’ring, self-consuming fire,

But Hymen’s kinder flames unite;

And burn for ever one;

Chaste as cold Cynthia’s virgin light,

Productive as the Sun.

Semichorus.

Oh source of ev’ry social tie,

United wish, and mutual joy!

What various joys on one attend,

As son, as father, brother husband, friend?

Whether his hoary sire he spies,

While thousand grateful thoughts arise;

Or meets his spouse’s fonder eye;

Or views his smiling progeny;

What tender passions take their turns,

What home-felt raptures move?

His heart now melts, now leaps, now burns,

With rev’rence, hope, and love.

Chorus.

Hence guilty joys, distastes, surmises,

Hence false tears, deceits, disguises,

Dangers, doubts, delays, surprises;

Fires that scorch, yet dare not shine

Purest love’s unwasting treasure,

Constant faith, fair hope, long leisure,

Days of ease, and nights of pleasure;

Sacred Hymen! these are thine.

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Poems in English 

• Sonnet. On A Picture Of Leander poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet: Oh! How I Love, On A Fair Summer’s Eve poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet IX. Keen, Fitful Gusts Are poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet IV. How Many Bards Gild The Lapses Of Time! poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet III. Written On The Day That Mr. Leigh Hunt Left Prison poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet II. To ****** poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet. If By Dull Rhymes Our English Must Be Chain’d poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet I. To My Brother George poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet: Before He Went poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet: As From The Darkening Gloom A Silver Dove poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet: After Dark Vapors Have Oppress’d Our Plains poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sonnet. A Dream, After Reading Dante’s Episode Of Paulo And Francesca poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Song. Written On A Blank Page In Beaumont And Fletcher’s Works poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Song Of Four Faries poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Song. I Had A Dove poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Song. Hush, Hush! Tread Softly! poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Sharing Eve’s Apple poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Otho The Great – Act V poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Otho The Great – Act IV poem – John Keats poems by John Keats
• Otho The Great – Act III poem – John Keats poems by John Keats

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