A Bucolic Betwixt Two; Lacon and Thyrsis by Robert Herrick
A Bucolic Betwixt Two; Lacon and Thyrsis by Robert Herrick LACON. For a kiss or two, confess, What doth cause this pensiveness, Thou most lovely neat-herdess? Why so lonely on the hill? Why thy pipe by thee so still, That erewhile was heard so shrill? Tell me, do thy kine now fail To fulfil the […]
The Resignation by Thomas Chatterton
The Resignation by Thomas Chatterton O God, whose thunder shakes the sky, Whose eye this atom globe surveys, To thee, my only rock, I fly, Thy mercy in thy justice praise. The mystic mazes of thy will, The shadows of celestial light, Are past the pow’r of human skill,– But what th’ Eternal acts is […]
The Methodist by Thomas Chatterton
The Methodist by Thomas Chatterton Says Tom to Jack, ’tis very odd, These representatives of God, In color, way of life and evil, Should be so very like the devil. Jack, understand, was one of those, Who mould religion in the rose, A red hot methodist; his face Was full of puritanic grace, His loose […]
The Death of Nicou by Thomas Chatterton
The Death of Nicou by Thomas Chatterton On Tiber’s banks, Tiber, whose waters glide In slow meanders down to Gaigra’s side; And circling all the horrid mountain round, Rushes impetuous to the deep profound; Rolls o’er the ragged rocks with hideous yell; Collects its waves beneath the earth’s vast shell; There for a while in […]
The Copernican System by Thomas Chatterton
The Copernican System by Thomas Chatterton The Sun revolving on his axis turns, And with creative fire intensely burns; Impell’d by forcive air, our Earth supreme, Rolls with the planets round the solar gleam. First Mercury completes his transient year, Glowing, refulgent, with reflected glare; Bright Venus occupies a wider way, The early harbinger of […]
The Advice by Thomas Chatterton
The Advice by Thomas Chatterton Revolving in their destin’d sphere, The hours begin another year As rapidly to fly; Ah! think, Maria, (e’er in grey Those auburn tresses fade away So youth and beauty die. Tho’ now the captivating throng Adore with flattery and song, And all before you bow; Whilst unattentive to the strain, […]
Song from Aella by Thomas Chatterton
Song from Aella by Thomas Chatterton O SING unto my roundelay, O drop the briny tear with me; Dance no more at holyday, Like a running river be: My love is dead, Gone to his death-bed All under the willow-tree. Black his cryne as the winter night, White his rode as the summer snow, Red […]
Sly Dick by Thomas Chatterton
Sly Dick by Thomas Chatterton Sharp was the frost, the wind was high And sparkling stars bedeckt the sky Sly Dick in arts of cunning skill’d, Whose rapine all his pockets fill’d, Had laid him down to take his rest And soothe with sleep his anxious breast. ‘Twas thus a dark infernal sprite A native […]
Narva and Mored by Thomas Chatterton
Narva and Mored by Thomas Chatterton Recite the loves of Narva and Mored The priest of Chalma’s triple idol said. High from the ground the youthful warriors sprung, Loud on the concave shell the lances rung: In all the mystic mazes of the dance, The youths of Banny’s burning sands advance, Whilst the soft virgin […]
Heccar and Gaira by Thomas Chatterton
Heccar and Gaira by Thomas Chatterton Where the rough Caigra rolls the surgy wave, Urging his thunders thro’ the echoing cave; Where the sharp rocks, in distant horror seen, Drive the white currents thro’ the spreading green; Where the loud tiger, pawing in his rage, Bids the black archers of the wilds engage; Stretch’d on […]
February by Thomas Chatterton
February by Thomas Chatterton Begin, my muse, the imitative lay, Aonian doxies sound the thrumming string; Attempt no number of the plaintive Gay, Let me like midnight cats, or Collins sing. If in the trammels of the doleful line The bounding hail, or drilling rain descend; Come, brooding Melancholy, pow’r divine, And ev’ry unform’d mass […]
Eclogues by Thomas Chatterton
Eclogues by Thomas Chatterton Eclogue the First. Whanne Englonde, smeethynge from her lethal wounde, From her galled necke dyd twytte the chayne awaie, Kennynge her legeful sonnes falle all arounde, (Myghtie theie fell, ’twas Honoure ledde the fraie,) Thanne inne a dale, bie eve’s dark surcote graie, Twayne lonelie shepsterres dyd abrodden flie, (The rostlyng […]
Colin Instructed by Thomas Chatterton
Colin Instructed by Thomas Chatterton Young Colin was as stout a boy As ever gave a maiden joy; But long in vain he told his tale To black-eyed Biddy of the Dale. Ah why, the whining shepherd cried, Am I alone your smiles denied? I only tell in vain my tale To black-eyed Biddy of […]
An Excelente Balade of Charitie: As Wroten bie the Gode Pri by Thomas Chatterton
An Excelente Balade of Charitie: As Wroten bie the Gode Pri by Thomas Chatterton In Virgynë the sweltrie sun gan sheene, And hotte upon the mees did caste his raie; The apple rodded from its palie greene, And the mole peare did bende the leafy spraie; The peede chelandri sunge the livelong daie; ‘Twas nowe […]
A New Song by Thomas Chatterton
A New Song by Thomas Chatterton Ah blame me not, Catcott, if from the right way My notions and actions run far. How can my ideas do other but stray, Deprived of their ruling North-Star? A blame me not, Broderip, if mounted aloft, I chatter and spoil the dull air; How can I imagine thy […]
A Hymn for Christmas Day by Thomas Chatterton
A Hymn for Christmas Day by Thomas Chatterton Almighty Framer of the Skies! O let our pure devotion rise, Like Incense in thy Sight! Wrapt in impenetrable Shade The Texture of our Souls were made Till thy Command gave light. The Sun of Glory gleam’d the Ray, Refin’d the Darkness into Day, And bid the […]
The Spring by Thomas Carew
The Spring by Thomas Carew Now that the winter’s gone, the earth hath lost Her snow-white robes, and now no more the frost Candies the grass, or casts an icy cream Upon the silver lake or crystal stream; But the warm sun thaws the benumbed earth, And makes it tender; gives a sacred birth To […]
The Primrose by Thomas Carew
The Primrose by Thomas Carew Ask me why I send you here The firstling of the infant year; Ask me why I send to you This primrose all bepearled with dew: I straight will whisper in your ears, The sweets of love are washed with tears. Ask me why this flower doth show So yellow, […]
Song. Murdering Beauty by Thomas Carew
Song. Murdering Beauty by Thomas Carew I’LL gaze no more on her bewitching face, Since ruin harbours there in every place ; For my enchanted soul alike she drowns With calms and tempests of her smiles and frowns. I’ll love no more those cruel eyes of hers, Which, pleased or anger’d, still are murderers : […]
Song. Mediocrity in love rejected. by Thomas Carew
Song. Mediocrity in love rejected. by Thomas Carew GIVE me more love or more disdain ; The torrid or the frozen zone Bring equal ease unto my pain, The temperate affords me none : Either extreme of love or hate, Is sweeter than a calm estate. Give me a storm ; if it be love, […]
Song. Good Counsel to a Young Maid by Thomas Carew
Song. Good Counsel to a Young Maid by Thomas Carew GAZE not on thy beauty’s pride, Tender maid, in the false tide That from lovers’ eyes doth slide. Let thy faithful crystal show How thy colours come and go : Beauty takes a foil from woe. Love, that in those smooth streams lies Under pity’s […]
Song: Eternity of Love Protested by Thomas Carew
Song: Eternity of Love Protested by Thomas Carew How ill doth he deserve a lover’s name, Whose pale weak flame Cannot retain His heat, in spite of absence or disdain; But doth at once, like paper set on fire, Burn and expire; True love can never change his seat, Nor did her ever love, that […]
Song. A Beautiful Mistress. by Thomas Carew
Song. A Beautiful Mistress. by Thomas Carew IF when the sun at noon displays His brighter rays, Thou but appear, He then, all pale with shame and fear, Quencheth his light, Hides his dark brow, flies from thy sight, And grows more dim, Compared to thee, than stars to him. If thou but show thy […]
Song by Thomas Carew
Song by Thomas Carew ASK me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose; For in your beauty’s orient deep These flowers, as in their causes, sleep. Ask me no more whither do stray The golden atoms of the day; For in pure love heaven did prepare Those powders to enrich […]
Secrecy Protested. by Thomas Carew
Secrecy Protested. by Thomas Carew FEAR not, dear love, that I’ll reveal Those hours of pleasure we two steal ; No eye shall see, nor yet the sun Descry, what thou and I have done. No ear shall hear our love, but we Silent as the night will be ; The god of love himself […]
Persuasions to Joy, a Song by Thomas Carew
Persuasions to Joy, a Song by Thomas Carew IF the quick spirits in your eye Now languish and anon must die; If every sweet and every grace Must fly from that forsaken face; Then, Celia, let us reap our joys Ere Time such goodly fruit destroys. Or if that golden fleece must grow For ever […]
My Mistress Commanding Me to Return Her Letters. by Thomas Carew
My Mistress Commanding Me to Return Her Letters. by Thomas Carew SO grieves th’ adventurous merchant, when he throws All the long toil’d-for treasure his ship stows Into the angry main, to save from wrack Himself and men, as I grieve to give back These letters : yet so powerful is your sway As if […]
Mediocrity in Love Rejected by Thomas Carew
Mediocrity in Love Rejected by Thomas Carew Give me more love or more disdain; The torrid, or the frozen zone, Bring equal ease unto my pain; The temperate affords me none; Either extreme, of love, or hate, Is sweeter than a calm estate. Give me a storm; if it be love, Like Danae in that […]
Lips and Eyes. by Thomas Carew
Lips and Eyes. by Thomas Carew IN Celia’s face a question did arise, Which were more beautiful, her lips or eyes ? “ We,” said the eyes, “send forth those pointed darts Which pierce the hardest adamantine hearts.” “ From us,” repli’d the lips, “proceed those blisses Which lovers reap by kind words and sweet […]
Know, Celia, Since Thou Art So Proud by Thomas Carew
Know, Celia, Since Thou Art So Proud by Thomas Carew Know, Celia, since thou art so proud, ‘Twas I that gave thee thy renown. Thou hadst in the forgotten crowd Of common beauties lived unknown Had not my verse extolled thy name, And with it imped the wings of Fame. That killing power is none […]
Ingrateful Beauty Threatened by Thomas Carew
Ingrateful Beauty Threatened by Thomas Carew Know Celia, since thou art so proud, ‘Twas I that gave thee thy renown; Thou hadst, in the forgotten crowd Of common beauties, liv’d unknown, Had not my verse exhal’d thy name, And with it imp’d the wings of fame. That killing power is none of thine, I gave […]
I Do Not Love Thee For That Fair by Thomas Carew
I Do Not Love Thee For That Fair by Thomas Carew I do not love thee for that fair Rich fan of thy most curious hair; Though the wires thereof be drawn Finer than threads of lawn, And are softer than the leaves On which the subtle spider weaves. I do not love thee for […]
He That Loves A Rosy Cheek by Thomas Carew
He That Loves A Rosy Cheek by Thomas Carew He that loves a rosy cheek, Or a coral lip admires, Or from star-like eyes doth seek Fuel to maintain his fires: As old Time makes these decay, So his flames must waste away. But a smooth and steadfast mind, Gentle thoughts, and calm desires, Hearts […]
Epitaph On the Lady Mary Villiers by Thomas Carew
Epitaph On the Lady Mary Villiers by Thomas Carew THE Lady Mary Villiers lies Under this stone; with weeping eyes The parents that first gave her birth, And their sad friends, laid her in earth. If any of them, Reader, were Known unto thee, shed a tear; Or if thyself possess a gem As dear […]
Epitaph for Maria Wentworth by Thomas Carew
Epitaph for Maria Wentworth by Thomas Carew And here the precious dust is laid; Whose purely-temper’d clay was made So fine that it the guest betray’d. Else the soul grew so fast within, It broke the outward shell of sin, And so was hatch’d a cherubin. In height, it soar’d to God above; In depth, […]
Disdain Returned by Thomas Carew
Disdain Returned by Thomas Carew He that loves a rosy cheek, Or a coral lip admires, Or from starlike eyes doth seek Fuel to maintain his fires; As old Time makes these decay, So his flames must waste away. But a smooth and steadfast mind, Gentle thoughts and calm desires, Hearts with equal love combined, […]
Celia Beeding, To the Surgeon by Thomas Carew
Celia Beeding, To the Surgeon by Thomas Carew Fond man, that canst believe her blood Will from those purple channels flow; Or that the pure untainted flood Can any foul distemper know; Or that thy weak steel can incise The crystal case wherein it lies: Know, her quick blood, proud of his seat, Runs dancing […]
Boldness in Love by Thomas Carew
Boldness in Love by Thomas Carew Mark how the bashful morn in vain Courts the amorous marigold, With sighing blasts and weeping rain, Yet she refuses to unfold. But when the planet of the day Approacheth with his powerful ray, The she spreads, then she receives His warmer beams into her virgin leaves. So shalt […]
Ask Me No More by Thomas Carew
Ask Me No More by Thomas Carew Ask me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose; For in your beauty’s orient deep These flowers, as in their causes, sleep. Ask me no more whither do stray The golden atoms of the day; For in pure love heaven did prepare Those […]
Another by Thomas Carew
Another by Thomas Carew THIS little vault, this narrow room, Of Love and Beauty is the tomb; The dawning beam, that ‘gan to clear Our clouded sky, lies darken’d here, For ever set to us: by Death Sent to enflame the World Beneath. ‘Twas but a bud, yet did contain More sweetness than shall spring […]