Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50) (121 page)
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Authors: Homer,William Shakespeare
John Dryden (1639–1701)
THREE poets, in three distant ages born,
Greece, Italy and England did adorn.
The first in loftiness of thought surpassed;
The next in majesty; in both the last.
The force of nature could no further go;
5
To make a third, she joined the former two.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Five Years Old, 1704. The Author then Forty
Matthew Prior (1664–1721)
LORDS, knights, and squires, the numerous band
That wear the fair Miss Mary’s fetters,
Were summoned by her high command
To show their passions by their letters.
My pen amongst the rest I took,
5
Lest those bright eyes, that cannot read,
Should dart their kindling fires, and look
The power they have to be obey’d.
Nor quality, nor reputation,
Forbid me yet my flame to tell;
10
Dear Five-years-old befriends my passion,
And I may write till she can spell.
For, while she makes her silkworm beds
With all the tender things I swear;
Whilst all the house my passion reads,
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In papers round her baby’s hair;
She may receive and own my flame;
For, though the strictest prudes should know it,
She’ll pass for a most virtuous dame,
And I for an unhappy poet.
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Then, too, alas! when she shall tear
The rhymes some younger rival sends,
She’ll give me leave to write, I fear,
And we shall still continue friends.
For, as our different ages move,
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’Tis so ordain’d (would Fate but mend it!),
That I shall be past making love
When she begins to comprehend it.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Matthew Prior (1664–1721)
THE MERCHANT, to secure his treasure,
Conveys it in a borrow’d name:
Euphelia serves to grace my measure,
But Cloe is my real flame.
My softest verse, my darling lyre
5
Upon Euphelia’s toilet lay —
When Cloe noted her desire
That I should sing, that I should play.
My lyre I tune, my voice I raise,
But with my numbers mix my sighs;
10
And whilst I sing Euphelia’s praise,
I fix my soul on Cloe’s eyes.
Fair Cloe blush’d: Euphelia frown’d:
I sung, and gazed; I play’d, and trembled:
And Venus to the Loves around
15
Remark’d how ill we all dissembled.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Matthew Prior (1664–1721)
POOR, little, pretty, fluttering thing,
Must we no longer live together?
And dost thou prune thy trembling wing,
To take thy flight thou knowst not whither?
Thy humorous vein, thy pleasing folly,
5
Lies all neglected, all forgot:
And pensive, wavering, melancholy,
Thou dread’st and hop’st thou know’st not what.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Matthew Prior (1664–1721)
TO John I owed great obligation;
But John unhappily thought fit
To publish it to all the nation,
Sure John and I are more than quit.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
WERE I so tall to reach the pole
Or grasp the ocean with my span,
I must be measured by my soul:
The mind’s the standard of the man.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Werena My Heart Licht I Wad Dee
Lady Grisel Baillie (1665–1746)
THERE ance was a may, and she lo’ed na men;
She biggit her bonnie bow’r doun in yon glen;
But now she cries, Dool and well-a-day!
Come doun the green gait and come here away!
When bonnie young Johnnie cam owre the sea,
5
He said he saw naething sae lovely as me;
He hecht me baith rings and mony braw things —
And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
He had a wee titty that lo’ed na me,
Because I was twice as bonnie as she;
10
She raised sic a pother ‘twixt him and his mother
That werena my heart’s licht, I wad dee.
The day it was set, and the bridal to be:
The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee;
She maned and she graned out o’ dolour and pain,
15
Till he vow’d he never wad see me again.
His kin was for ane of a higher degree,
Said — What had he do wi’ the likes of me?
Appose I was bonnie, I wasna for Johnnie —
And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
20
They said I had neither cow nor calf,
Nor dribbles o’ drink rins thro’ the draff,
Nor pickles o’ meal rins thro’ the mill-e’e —
And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
His titty she was baith wylie and slee:
25
She spied me as I cam owre the lea;
And then she ran in and made a loud din —
Believe your ain e’en, an ye trow not me.
His bonnet stood ay fu’ round on his brow,
His auld ane look’d ay as well as some’s new:
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But now he lets ‘t wear ony gait it will hing,
And casts himsel dowie upon the corn bing.
And now he gaes daund’ring about the dykes,
And a’ he dow do is to hund the tykes:
The live-lang nicht he ne’er steeks his e’e —
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And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
Were I but young for thee, as I hae been,
We should hae been gallopin’ doun in yon green,
And linkin’ it owre the lily-white lea —
And wow, gin I were but young for thee!
40
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Joseph Addison (1672–1719)
THE SPACIOUS firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.
Th’ unwearied Sun from day to day
5
Does his Creator’s power display;
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The Moon takes up the wondrous tale;
10
And nightly to the listening Earth
Repeats the story of her birth:
Whilst all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
15
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball;
What though nor real voice nor sound
Amidst their radiant orbs be found?
20
In Reason’s ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice;
For ever singing as they shine,
‘The Hand that made us is divine.’
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order