Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50) (77 page)
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Authors: Homer,William Shakespeare
Sir Edward Dyer (d. 1607)
MY mind to me a kingdom is;
Such present joys therein I find,
That it excels all other bliss
That earth affords or grows by kind:
Though much I want that most would have,
5
Yet still my mind forbids to crave.
No princely pomp, no wealthy store,
No force to win the victory,
No wily wit to salve a sore,
No shape to feed a loving eye;
10
To none of these I yield as thrall;
For why? my mind doth serve for all.
I see how plenty surfeits oft,
And hasty climbers soon do fall;
I see that those which are aloft
15
Mishap doth threaten most of all:
They get with toil, they keep with fear:
Such cares my mind could never bear.
Content I live, this is my stay;
I seek no more than may suffice;
20
I press to bear no haughty sway;
Look, what I lack my mind supplies.
Lo, thus I triumph like a king,
Content with that my mind doth bring.
Some have too much, yet still do crave;
25
I little have, and seek no more.
They are but poor, though much they have,
And I am rich with little store;
They poor, I rich; they beg, I give;
They lack, I leave; they pine, I live.
30
I laugh not at another’s loss,
I grudge not at another’s gain;
No worldly waves my mind can toss;
My state at one doth still remain:
I fear no foe, I fawn no friend;
35
I loathe not life, nor dread my end.
Some weigh their pleasure by their lust,
Their wisdom by their rage of will;
Their treasure is their only trust,
A cloakèd craft their store of skill;
40
But all the pleasure that I find
Is to maintain a quiet mind.
My wealth is health and perfect ease,
My conscience clear my chief defence;
I neither seek by bribes to please,
45
Nor by deceit to breed offence:
Thus do I live; thus will I die;
Would all did so as well as I!
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
John Lyly (1553–1606)
CUPID and my Campaspe play’d
At cards for kisses — Cupid paid:
He stakes his quiver, bow, and arrows,
His mother’s doves, and team of sparrows;
Loses them too; then down he throws
5
The coral of his lip, the rose
Growing on’s cheek (but none knows how);
With these, the crystal of his brow,
And then the dimple of his chin:
All these did my Campaspe win.
10
At last he set her both his eyes —
She won, and Cupid blind did rise.
O Love! has she done this for thee?
What shall, alas! become of me?
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
John Lyly (1553–1606)
WHAT bird so sings, yet so does wail?
O ’tis the ravish’d nightingale.
‘jug, jug, jug, jug, tereu!’
she cries!
And still her woes at midnight rise,
Brave prick-song! Who is’t now we hear?
5
None but the lark so shrill and clear;
Now at heaven’s gate she claps her wings,
The morn not waking till she sings.
Hark, hark, with what a pretty throat
Poor robin redbreast tunes his note!
10
Hark how the jolly cuckoos sing
Cuckoo!
to welcome in the spring!
Cuckoo!
to welcome in the spring!
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)
DOUBT you to whom my Muse these notes intendeth;
Which now my breast o’ercharged to music lendeth!
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only in you, my song begins and endeth.
Who hath the eyes which marry State with Pleasure?
5
Who keeps the key of Nature’s chiefest treasure?
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only for you, the heaven forgat all measure.
Who hath the lips, where Wit in fairness reigneth?
Who mankind at once both decks and staineth?
10
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only by you, Cupid his crown maintaineth.
Who hath the feet, whose step all sweetness planteth?
Who else, for whom Fame worthy trumpets wanteth?
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
15
Only to you, her sceptre Venus granteth.
Who hath the breast, whose milk doth passions nourish?
Whose grace is such, that when it chides doth cherish?
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only through you, the tree of life doth flourish.
20
Who hath the hand, which without stroke subdueth?
Who long-dead beauty with increase reneweth?
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only at you, all envy hopeless rueth.
Who hath the hair, which loosest fastest tieth?
25
Who makes a man live, then glad when he dieth?
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only of you, the flatterer never lieth.
Who hath the voice, which soul from senses sunders?
Whose force but yours the bolts of beauty thunders?
30
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
Only with you, not miracles are wonders.
Doubt you to whom my Muse these notes intendeth,
Which now my breast o’ercharged to music lendeth?
To you! to you! all song of praise is due:
35
Only in you, my song begins and endeth.
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)
RING out your bells, let mourning shews be spread;
For Love is dead.
All Love is dead, infected
With plague of deep disdain;
Worth, as nought worth, rejected,
5
And Faith, fair scorn doth gain.
From so ungrateful fancy,
From such a female franzy,
From them that use men thus,
Good Lord, deliver us!
10
Weep, neighbours, weep; do you not hear it said
That Love is dead?
His death-bed, peacock’s folly;
His winding-sheet is shame;
His will, false-seeming holy;
15
His sole exec’tor, blame.
From so ungrateful fancy,
From such a female franzy,
From them that use men thus,
Good Lord, deliver us!
20
Let dirge be sung, and trentals rightly read,
For Love is dead.
Sir Wrong his tomb ordaineth,
My mistress’ marble heart;
Which epitaph containeth,
25
“Her eyes were once his dart.”
From so ungrateful fancy,
From such a female franzy,
From them that use men thus,
Good Lord, deliver us!
30
Alas, I lie: rage hath this error bred;
Love is not dead.
Love is not dead, but sleepeth
In her unmatchèd mind,
Where she his counsel keepeth,
35
Till due deserts she find.
Therefore from so vile fancy,
To call such wit a franzy,
Who Love can temper thus,
Good Lord, deliver us!
40
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order
Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)
MY true-love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one for another given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven:
My true-love hath my heart, and I have his.
5
His heart in me keeps him and me in one,
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own,
I cherish his because in me it bides:
My true-love hath my heart, and I have his.
10
List of Poems in Alphabetical Order
List of Poets in Alphabetical Order