Lyrical Poems [37]
childish lullaby? Or that ye have not seen as yet The violet? Or brought a kiss From that Sweet-heart, to this? --No, no, this sorrow shown By your tears shed, Would have this lecture read, That things of greatest, so of meanest worth, Conceived with grief are, and with tears brought forth.
*197*
TO DAISIES, NOT TO SHUT SO SOON
Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night Has not as yet begun To make a seizure on the light, Or to seal up the sun.
No marigolds yet closed are, No shadows great appear; Nor doth the early shepherds' star Shine like a spangle here.
Stay but till my Julia close Her life-begetting eye; And let the whole world then dispose Itself to live or die.
*198*
TO DAFFADILS
Fair Daffadils, we weep to see You haste away so soon; As yet the early-rising sun Has not attain'd his noon. Stay, stay, Until the hasting day Has run But to the even-song; And, having pray'd together, we Will go with you along.
We have short time to stay, as you; We have as short a spring; As quick a growth to meet decay, As you, or any thing. We die As your hours do, and dry Away, Like to the summer's rain; Or as the pearls of morning's dew, Ne'er to be found again.
*199*
TO VIOLETS
Welcome, maids of honour, You do bring In the Spring; And wait upon her.
She has virgins many, Fresh and fair; Yet you are More sweet than any.
You're the maiden posies; And so graced, To be placed 'Fore damask roses.
--Yet, though thus respected, By and by Ye do lie, Poor girls, neglected.
*200*
THE APRON OF FLOWERS
To gather flowers, Sappha went, And homeward she did bring Within her lawny continent, The treasure of the Spring.
She smiling blush'd, and blushing smiled, And sweetly blushing thus, She look'd as she'd been got with child By young Favonius.
Her apron gave, as she did pass, An odour more divine, More pleasing too, than ever was The lap of Proserpine.
*201*
THE LILY IN A CRYSTAL
You have beheld a smiling rose When virgins' hands have drawn O'er it a cobweb-lawn: And here, you see, this lily shows, Tomb'd in a crystal stone, More fair in this transparent case Than when it grew alone, And had but single grace.
You see how cream but naked is, Nor dances in the eye Without a strawberry; Or some fine tincture, like to this, Which draws the sight thereto, More by that wantoning with it, Than when the paler hue No mixture did admit.
You see how amber through the streams More gently strokes the sight, With some conceal'd delight, Than when he darts his radiant beams Into the boundless air; Where either too much light his worth Doth all at once impair, Or set it little forth.
Put purple grapes or cherries in- To glass, and they will send More beauty to commend Them, from that clean and subtle skin, Than if they naked stood, And had no other pride at all, But their own flesh and blood, And tinctures natural.
Thus lily, rose, grape, cherry, cream, And strawberry do stir More love, when they transfer A weak, a soft, a broken beam; Than if they should discover At full their proper excellence, Without some scene cast over, To juggle with the sense.
Thus let this crystall'd lily be A rule, how far to teach Your nakedness must reach; And that no further than we see Those glaring colours laid By art's wise hand, but to this end They should obey a shade, Lest they too far extend.
--So though you're white as swan or snow, And have the power to move A world of men to love; Yet, when your lawns and silks shall flow, And that white cloud divide Into a doubtful twilight;--then, Then will your hidden pride Raise greater fires in men.
*202*
TO MEADOWS
Ye have been fresh and green, Ye have been fill'd with flowers; And ye the walks have been Where maids have spent their hours.
You have beheld how they With wicker arks did come, To kiss and bear away The richer cowslips home.
You've heard them sweetly sing, And seen them in a round; Each virgin, like a spring, With honeysuckles crown'd.
But now, we see none here, Whose silvery feet did tread And with dishevell'd
*197*
TO DAISIES, NOT TO SHUT SO SOON
Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night Has not as yet begun To make a seizure on the light, Or to seal up the sun.
No marigolds yet closed are, No shadows great appear; Nor doth the early shepherds' star Shine like a spangle here.
Stay but till my Julia close Her life-begetting eye; And let the whole world then dispose Itself to live or die.
*198*
TO DAFFADILS
Fair Daffadils, we weep to see You haste away so soon; As yet the early-rising sun Has not attain'd his noon. Stay, stay, Until the hasting day Has run But to the even-song; And, having pray'd together, we Will go with you along.
We have short time to stay, as you; We have as short a spring; As quick a growth to meet decay, As you, or any thing. We die As your hours do, and dry Away, Like to the summer's rain; Or as the pearls of morning's dew, Ne'er to be found again.
*199*
TO VIOLETS
Welcome, maids of honour, You do bring In the Spring; And wait upon her.
She has virgins many, Fresh and fair; Yet you are More sweet than any.
You're the maiden posies; And so graced, To be placed 'Fore damask roses.
--Yet, though thus respected, By and by Ye do lie, Poor girls, neglected.
*200*
THE APRON OF FLOWERS
To gather flowers, Sappha went, And homeward she did bring Within her lawny continent, The treasure of the Spring.
She smiling blush'd, and blushing smiled, And sweetly blushing thus, She look'd as she'd been got with child By young Favonius.
Her apron gave, as she did pass, An odour more divine, More pleasing too, than ever was The lap of Proserpine.
*201*
THE LILY IN A CRYSTAL
You have beheld a smiling rose When virgins' hands have drawn O'er it a cobweb-lawn: And here, you see, this lily shows, Tomb'd in a crystal stone, More fair in this transparent case Than when it grew alone, And had but single grace.
You see how cream but naked is, Nor dances in the eye Without a strawberry; Or some fine tincture, like to this, Which draws the sight thereto, More by that wantoning with it, Than when the paler hue No mixture did admit.
You see how amber through the streams More gently strokes the sight, With some conceal'd delight, Than when he darts his radiant beams Into the boundless air; Where either too much light his worth Doth all at once impair, Or set it little forth.
Put purple grapes or cherries in- To glass, and they will send More beauty to commend Them, from that clean and subtle skin, Than if they naked stood, And had no other pride at all, But their own flesh and blood, And tinctures natural.
Thus lily, rose, grape, cherry, cream, And strawberry do stir More love, when they transfer A weak, a soft, a broken beam; Than if they should discover At full their proper excellence, Without some scene cast over, To juggle with the sense.
Thus let this crystall'd lily be A rule, how far to teach Your nakedness must reach; And that no further than we see Those glaring colours laid By art's wise hand, but to this end They should obey a shade, Lest they too far extend.
--So though you're white as swan or snow, And have the power to move A world of men to love; Yet, when your lawns and silks shall flow, And that white cloud divide Into a doubtful twilight;--then, Then will your hidden pride Raise greater fires in men.
*202*
TO MEADOWS
Ye have been fresh and green, Ye have been fill'd with flowers; And ye the walks have been Where maids have spent their hours.
You have beheld how they With wicker arks did come, To kiss and bear away The richer cowslips home.
You've heard them sweetly sing, And seen them in a round; Each virgin, like a spring, With honeysuckles crown'd.
But now, we see none here, Whose silvery feet did tread And with dishevell'd