On The Morning Of Christs Nativity poem – John Milton poems

I This is the Month, and this the happy morn Wherin the Son of Heav’ns eternal King, Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born, Our great redemption from above did bring; For so the holy sages once did sing, That he our deadly forfeit should release, And with his Father work us a perpetual […]

On The Lord Gen. Fairfax At The Seige Of Colchester poem – John Milton poems

Fairfax, whose name in armes through Europe rings Filling each mouth with envy, or with praise, And all her jealous monarchs with amaze, And rumors loud, that daunt remotest kings, Thy firm unshak’n vertue ever brings Victory home, though new rebellions raise Their Hydra heads, & the fals North displaies Her brok’n league, to […]

On The Death Of A Fair Infant Dying Of A Cough poem – John Milton poems

I O fairest flower no sooner blown but blasted, Soft silken Primrose fading timelesslie, Summers chief honour if thou hadst outlasted Bleak winters force that made thy blossome drie; For he being amorous on that lovely die That did thy cheek envermeil, thought to kiss But kill’d alas, and then bewayl’d his fatal bliss. […]

On Shakespear poem – John Milton poems

What needs my Shakespear for his honour’d Bones, The labour of an age in piled Stones, Or that his hallow’d reliques should be hid Under a Star-ypointing Pyramid? Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame, What need’st thou such weak witnes of thy name? Thou in our wonder and astonishment Hast built thy […]

On His Deceased Wife poem – John Milton poems

METHOUGHT I saw my late espoused Saint Brought to me like Alcestis from the grave, Whom Joves great Son to her glad Husband gave, Rescu’d from death by force though pale and faint. Mine as whom washt from spot of child-bed taint, Purification in the old Law did save, And such, as yet once […]

On His Blindness poem – John Milton poems

When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide, “Doth God exact day-labour, […]

Methought I Saw My Late Espoused Saint poem – John Milton poems

Methought I saw my late espoused Saint Brought to me like Alcestus from the grave, Who Jove’s great Son to her glad Husband gave, Rescu’d from death by force though pale and faint. Mine as whom washt from spot of child-bed taint Purification in the old Law did save, And such as yet once […]

Lycidas poem – John Milton poems

In this Monody the author bewails a learned Friend, unfortunately drowned in his passage from Chester on the Irish Seas, 1637; and, by occasion, foretells the ruin of our corrupted Clergy, then in their height. YET once more, O ye laurels, and once more, Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere, I come to […]

Light poem – John Milton poems

HAIL holy light, ofspring of Heav’n first-born, Or of th’ Eternal Coeternal beam May I express thee unblam’d? since God is light, And never but in unapproached light Dwelt from Eternitie, dwelt then in thee, Bright effluence of bright essence increate. Or hear’st thou rather pure Ethereal stream, Whose Fountain who shall tell? before […]

L’Allegro poem – John Milton poems

Hence, loathed Melancholy, …………Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born In Stygian cave forlorn …………’Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy! Find out some uncouth cell, …………Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings, And the night-raven sings; …………There, under ebon shades and low-browed rocks, As ragged as thy locks, …………In dark Cimmerian desert ever […]

Il Penseroso poem – John Milton poems

Hence, vain deluding Joys, …………The brood of Folly without father bred! How little you bested …………Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys! Dwell in some idle brain, …………And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess, As thick and numberless …………As the gay motes that people the sun-beams, Or likest hovering dreams, …………The fickle […]

Hymn on the Morning of Christ’s Nativity poem – John Milton poems

IT was the Winter wilde, While the Heav’n-born-childe, All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; Nature in aw to him Had doff’t her gawdy trim, With her great Master so to sympathize: It was no season then for her To wanton with the Sun her lusty Paramour. Only with speeches fair She woo’s […]

How Soon Hath Time poem – John Milton poems

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year! My hasting days fly on wtih full career, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew’th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, That I to manhood am arrived so near, And inward ripeness doth […]

From ‘Samson Agonistes’ i poem – John Milton poems

OH how comely it is and how reviving To the Spirits of just men long opprest! When God into the hands of thir deliverer Puts invincible might To quell the mighty of the Earth, th’ oppressour, The brute and boist’rous force of violent men Hardy and industrious to support Tyrannic power, but raging to […]

From ‘Arcades’ poem – John Milton poems

O’RE the smooth enameld green Where no print of step hath been, Follow me as I sing, And touch the warbled string. Under the shady roof Of branching Elm Star-proof, Follow me, I will bring you where she sits Clad in splendor as befits Her deity. Such a rural Queen All Arcadia hath not […]

Comus poem – John Milton poems

A Masque Presented At Ludlow Castle, 1634, Before The Earl Of Bridgewater, Then President Of Wales. The Persons The ATTENDANT SPIRIT, afterwards in the habit of THYRSIS. COMUS, with his Crew. The LADY. FIRST BROTHER. SECOND BROTHER. SABRINA, the Nymph. The Chief Persons which presented were:— The Lord Brackley; Mr. […]

At A Solemn Musick poem – John Milton poems

Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of Heav’ns joy, Sphear-born harmonious Sisters, Voice, and Vers, Wed your divine sounds, and mixt power employ Dead things with inbreath’d sense able to pierce, And to our high-rais’d phantasie present, That undisturbed Song of pure content, Ay sung before the saphire-colour’d throne To him that sits theron With […]

Arcades poem – John Milton poems

Part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Darby at Harefield, by som Noble persons of her Family, who appear on the Scene in pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of State with this Song. I. SONG. Look Nymphs, and Shepherds look, What sudden blaze of majesty Is that which we […]

Another On The Same poem – John Milton poems

Here lieth one who did most truly prove, That he could never die while he could move, So hung his destiny never to rot While he might still jogg on, and keep his trot, Made of sphear-metal, never to decay Untill his revolution was at stay. Time numbers motion, yet (without a crime ‘Gainst […]

An Epitaph On The Marchioness Of Winchester poem – John Milton poems

This rich Marble doth enterr The honour’d Wife of Winchester, A Vicounts daughter, an Earls heir, Besides what her vertues fair Added to her noble birth, More then she could own from Earth. Summers three times eight save one She had told, alas too soon, After so short time of breath, To house with […]

A Supplication

Awake, awake, my Lyre! And tell thy silent master’s humble tale In sounds that may prevail; Sounds that gentle thoughts inspire: Though so exalted she And I so lowly be Tell her, such different notes make all thy harmony. Hark, how the strings awake! And, though the moving hand approach not near, Themselves with […]

Written Juice Lemon

Whilst what I write I do not see, I dare thus, ev’n to you, write poetry. Ah, foolish Muse! which dost so high aspire, And know’st her judgment well, How much it does thy power excel, Yet dar’st be read by, thy just doom, the fire. Alas! thou think’st thyself secure, Because thy form […]

Written In Juice Of Lemon

Whilst what I write I do not see, I dare thus, ev’n to you, write poetry. Ah, foolish Muse! which dost so high aspire, And know’st her judgment well, How much it does thy power excel, Yet dar’st be read by, thy just doom, the fire. Alas! thou think’st thyself secure, Because thy form […]

Wit

TELL me, O tell, what kind of thing is Wit, Thou who Master art of it. For the First matter loves Variety less ; Less Women love ‘t, either in Love or Dress. A thousand different shapes it bears, Comely in thousand shapes appears. Yonder we saw it plain ; and here ’tis now, […]

Welcome

Go, let the fatted calf be kill’d; My prodigal’s come home at last, With noble resolutions fill’d, And fill’d with sorrow for the past: No more will burn with love or wine; But quite has left his women and his swine. Welcome, ah! welcome, my poor heart! Welcome! I little thought, I’ll swear (‘T […]

Vote Excerpt

……… This only grant me : that my means may lie Too low for envy, for contempt too high. Some honour I would have, Not from great deeds, but good alone ; Th’ ignote are better than ill-known, Rumor can ope the grave. Acquaintance I would hug, but when ‘t depends Not from the […]

Usurpation

Thou ‘adst to my soul no title or pretence; I was mine own, and free, Till I had given myself to thee; But thou hast kept me slave and prisoner since. Well, since so insolent thou ‘rt grown, Fond tyrant! I’ll depose thee from thy throne; Such outrages must not admitted be In an […]

Tree Knowledge

THAT THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE. Against the Dogmatists. THE sacred tree ‘midst the fair orchard grew; The Phoenix truth did on it rest, And built his perfum’d nest; That right Porphyrian tree which did true Logick shew, Each leaf did learned notions give, And th’ apples were demonstrative; So clear their colour and divine, […]

To The Royal Society

I. Philosophy the great and only heir Of all that human knowledge which has bin Unforfeited by man’s rebellious sin, Though full of years he do appear, (Philosophy, I say, and call it, he, For whatso’ere the painter’s fancy be, It a male-virtue seems to me) Has still been kept in nonage till of […]

To The Lord Falkland

FOR HIS SAFE RETURN FROM THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION AGAINST THE SCOTS. Great is thy Charge, O North! be wise and just, England commits her Falkland to thy trust; Return him safe; Learning would rather choose Her Bodley or her Vatican to lose: All things that are but writ or printed there, In his unbounded […]

To Sir William Davenant

UPON HIS TWO FIRST BOOKS OF GONDIBERT FINISHED BEFORE HIS VOYAGE TO AMERICA. METHINKS heroick poesy till now, Like some fantastick fairy-land did show; Gods, devils, nymphs, witches and giants’ race, And all but man, in man’s chief work had place. Thou, like some worthy knight with sacred arms, Dost drive the monsters thence, […]

Thisbes Song

Come, love, why stay’st thou? The night Will vanish ere wee taste delight. The moone obscures her selfe from sight, Thou absent, whose eyes give her light. Come quickly deare, be briefe as time, Or we by morne shall be o’retane, Love’s Joy’s thing owne as well as mine, Spend not therefore, time in […]

The Wish

Well then; I now do plainly see This busy world and I shall ne’er agree. The very honey of all earthly joy Does of all meats the soonest cloy; And they (methinks) deserve my pity Who for it can endure the stings, The crowd, and buzz, and murmurings Of this great hive, the city. […]

The Welcome

Go, let the fatted calf be kill’d; My prodigal’s come home at last, With noble resolutions fill’d, And fill’d with sorrow for the past: No more will burn with love or wine; But quite has left his women and his swine. Welcome, ah! welcome, my poor heart! Welcome! I little thought, I’ll swear (‘T […]

The Vote Excerpt

……… This only grant me : that my means may lie Too low for envy, for contempt too high. Some honour I would have, Not from great deeds, but good alone ; Th’ ignote are better than ill-known, Rumor can ope the grave. Acquaintance I would hug, but when ‘t depends Not from the […]

The Usurpation

Thou ‘adst to my soul no title or pretence; I was mine own, and free, Till I had given myself to thee; But thou hast kept me slave and prisoner since. Well, since so insolent thou ‘rt grown, Fond tyrant! I’ll depose thee from thy throne; Such outrages must not admitted be In an […]

The Tree Of Knowledge

THAT THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE. Against the Dogmatists. THE sacred tree ‘midst the fair orchard grew; The Phoenix truth did on it rest, And built his perfum’d nest; That right Porphyrian tree which did true Logick shew, Each leaf did learned notions give, And th’ apples were demonstrative; So clear their colour and divine, […]