By hoary Nereus wrinkled look, And the Carpathian wizard's hook, By scaly Triton's winding shell, And old sooth-saying Glaucus' spell, By Leucothea's lovely hands, And her son that rules the strands, By Thetis' tinsel-slipper'd feet, And the Songs of Sirens sweet, By dead Parthenope's dear tomb, And fair Ligea's golden comb, Wherwith she sits on diamond rocks Sleeking her soft alluring locks, By all the Nymphs that nightly dance Upon thy streams with wily glance, Rise, rise, and heave thy rosy head From thy coral-pav'n bed,
And bridle in thy headlong wave,
Till thou our summons answered have.
To the Ocean now I fly,
And those happy climes that lie Where day never shuts his eye, Up in the broad fields of the sky: There I suck the liquid air All amidst the Gardens fair
Of Hesperus, and his daughters three That sing about the golden tree: Along the crisped shades and bowers Revels the spruce and jocund Spring, The Graces, and the rosy-bosom'd Hours, Thither all their bounties bring. That there eternal Summer dwells, And west winds, with musky wing About the cedarn alleys fling Nard, and Cassia's balmy smells. Iris there with humid bow
Waters the odorous banks that blow Flowers of more mingled hue Than her purfl'd scarf can shew, And drenches with Elysian dew (List mortals, if your ears be true) Beds of Hyacinth, and roses Where young Adonis oft reposes, Waxing well of his deep wound In slumber soft, and on the ground Sadly sits th' Assyrian Queen;
But far above in spangled sheen Celestial Cupid her fam'd son advanc'd, Holds his dear Psyche sweet intranc'd, 30
After her wandring labours long, Till free consent the gods among Make her his eternal Bride, And from her fair unspotted side Two blissful twins are to be born, Youth and Joy; so Jove hath sworn.
But now my task is smoothly done, I can fly, or I can run
Quickly to the green earth's end, Where the bow'd welkin slow doth bend, 40 And from thence can soar as soon To the corners of the Moon.
Mortals that would follow me, Love virtue, she alone is free, ! She can teach ye how to climb Higher then the spheary chime; Or if Virtue feeble were,
Heav'n itself would stoop to her. 1634. 1645.
Now the lusty spring is seen; Golden yellow, gaudy blue, Daintily invite the view: Everywhere on every green Roses blushing as they blow, And enticing men to pull, Lilies whiter than the snow, Woodbines of sweet honey full': All love's emblems, and all cry, "Ladies, if not pluck'd, we die."
Yet the lusty spring hath stay'd;' Blushing red and purest white Daintily to love invite
Every woman, every maid:
Cherries kissing as they grow, And inviting men to taste, Apples even ripe below, Winding gently to the waist: All love's emblems, and all cry, "Ladies, if not pluck'd, we die."
O THOU that swing'st upon the waving hair Of some well-filled oaten beard, Drunk every night with a delicious tear Dropt thee from heaven, where th' art rear'd!
The joys of earth and air are thine entire, That with thy feet and wings dost hop and fly; And when thy poppy works, thou dost retire To thy carved acorn-bed to lie.
Up with the day, the Sun thou welcom'st then, Sport'st in the gilt-plaits of his beams, And all these merry days mak'st merry men, Thyself, and melancholy streams. . .
CORINNA 'S GOING A-MAYING
GET up, get up for shame! The blooming morn Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.
See how Aurora throws her fair Fresh-quilted colours through the air: Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see
The dew bespangling herb and tree! Each flower has wept and bow'd toward the east Above an hour since, yet you not drest;
Nay! not so much as out of bed?
When all the birds have matins said And sung their thankful hymns, 't is sin,
Nay, profanation, to keep in,
Whereas a thousand virgins on this day
Spring, sooner than the lark, to fetch in May. 14
Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and
And sweet as Flora. Take no care For jewels for your gown or hair: Fear not; the leaves will strew
Gems in abundance upon you:
Besides, the childhood of the day has kept, Against you come, some orient pearls unwept. Come, and receive them while the light Hangs on the dew-locks of the night: And Titan on the eastern hill
Retires himself, or else stands still
Till you come forth! Wash, dress, be brief in
Few beads are best when once we go a-Maying. 28
Come, my Corinna, come; and coming, mark How each field turns a street, each street a park,
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