English Poetry at the Poetry Monster. Samuel Johnson. Poem To a Young Lady, on Her Birthday.

Poem by Samuel Johnson

To a Young Lady, on Her Birthday

This tributary verse receive, my fair,
Warm with an ardent lover's fondest prayer,
May this returning day for ever find
Thy form more lovely, more adorn'd thy mind;
All pains, all cares, may favouring heaven remove,
All but the sweet solicitudes of love!
May powerful nature join with grateful art,
To point each glance, and force it to the heart!
O then! when conquer'd crowds confess thy sway,
When even proud wealth and prouder wit obey,
My fair, be mindful of the mighty trust,
Alas! 'tis hard for beauty to be just.
Those sovereign charms with strictest care employ;
Nor give the generous pain, the worthless joy;
With his own form acquaint the forward fool,
Shown in the mimic glass of ridicule:
Teach mimic censure her own faults to find,
No more let coquettes to themselves be blind,
So shall Belinda's charms improve mankind. 

Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson’s other poems:

1. To Myrtilis – The New Year’s Offering
2. On Hearing Miss Thrale Consulting with a Friend About a Gown and Hat
3. Drury-Lane Prologue Spoken By Mr. Garrick
4. Parody of a Translation from the Medea of Euripides
5. On Lyce – An Elderly Lady

The Last Poems

To the Russian version

Try english.poetry.monster – a standalone website dedicated to Anglophone poetry from around the world.

Poetry In English