Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50)

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Delphi Poetry Anthology: The World's Greatest Poems (Delphi Poets Series Book 50) Page 95

by Homer


  Each bee, as sentinel, is shut, 10

  And sleeps so too; but if once stirr’d,

  She runs you through, nor asks the word.

  O thou, that dear and happy Isle,

  The garden of the world erewhile,

  Thou Paradise of the four seas 15

  Which Heaven planted us to please,

  But, to exclude the world, did guard

  With wat’ry if not flaming sword;

  What luckless apple did we taste

  To make us mortal and thee waste! 20

  Unhappy! shall we never more

  That sweet militia restore,

  When gardens only had their towers,

  And all the garrisons were flowers;

  When roses only arms might bear, 25

  And men did rosy garlands wear?

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  The Picture of Little T. C. in a Prospect of Flowers

  Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)

  SEE with what simplicity

  This nymph begins her golden days!

  In the green grass she loves to lie,

  And there with her fair aspect tames

  The wilder flowers, and gives them names; 5

  But only with the roses plays,

  And them does tell

  What colour best becomes them, and what smell.

  Who can foretell for what high cause

  This darling of the gods was born? 10

  Yet this is she whose chaster laws

  The wanton Love shall one day fear,

  And, under her command severe,

  See his bow broke and ensigns torn.

  Happy who can 15

  Appease this virtuous enemy of man!

  O then let me in time compound

  And parley with those conquering eyes,

  Ere they have tried their force to wound;

  Ere with their glancing wheels they drive 20

  In triumph over hearts that strive,

  And them that yield but more despise:

  Let me be laid,

  Where I may see the glories from some shade.

  Meantime, whilst every verdant thing 25

  Itself does at thy beauty charm,

  Reform the errors of the Spring;

  Make that the tulips may have share

  Of sweetness, seeing they are fair,

  And roses of their thorns disarm; 30

  But most procure

  That violets may a longer age endure.

  But O, young beauty of the woods,

  Whom Nature courts with fruits and flowers,

  Gather the flowers, but spare the buds; 35

  Lest Flora, angry at thy crime

  To kill her infants in their prime,

  Do quickly make th’ example yours;

  And ere we see,

  Nip in the blossom all our hopes and thee. 40

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland

  Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)

  THE FORWARD youth that would appear,

  Must now forsake his Muses dear,

  Nor in the shadows sing

  His numbers languishing.

  ’Tis time to leave the books in dust, 5

  And oil the unused armour’s rust,

  Removing from the wall

  The corslet of the hall.

  So restless Cromwell could not cease

  In the inglorious arts of peace, 10

  But through adventurous war

  Urgèd his active star:

  And like the three-fork’d lightning, first

  Breaking the clouds where it was nurst,

  Did thorough his own side 15

  His fiery way divide:

  For ’tis all one to courage high,

  The emulous, or enemy;

  And with such, to enclose

  Is more than to oppose; 20

  Then burning through the air he went

  And palaces and temples rent;

  And Cæsar’s head at last

  Did through his laurels blast.

  ’Tis madness to resist or blame 25

  The face of angry heaven’s flame:

  And if we would speak true,

  Much to the Man is due

  Who, from his private gardens, where

  He lived reservèd and austere, 30

  (As if his highest plot

  To plant the bergamot),

  Could by industrious valour climb

  To ruin the great work of time,

  And cast the Kingdoms old 35

  Into another mould.

  Though Justice against Fate complain,

  And plead the ancient Rights in vain —

  But those do hold or break

  As men are strong or weak, 40

  Nature, that hateth emptiness,

  Allows of penetration less,

  And therefore must make room

  Where greater spirits come.

  What field of all the civil war 45

  Where his were not the deepest scar?

  And Hampton shows what part

  He had of wiser art,

  Where, twining subtle fears with hope,

  He wove a net of such a scope 50

  That Charles himself might chase

  To Carisbrook’s narrow case,

  That thence the Royal actor borne

  The tragic scaffold might adorn:

  While round the armèd bands 55

  Did clap their bloody hands.

  He nothing common did or mean

  Upon that memorable scene,

  But with his keener eye

  The axe’s edge did try; 60

  Nor call’d the Gods, with vulgar spite,

  To vindicate his helpless right

  But bow’d his comely head

  Down, as upon a bed.

  — This was that memorable hour 65

  Which first assured the forcèd power:

  So when they did design

  The Capitol’s first line,

  A Bleeding Head, where they begun,

  Did fright the architects to run; 70

  And yet in that the State

  Foresaw its happy fate!

  And now the Irish are ashamed

  To see themselves in one year tamed:

  So much one man can do 75

  That does both act and know.

  They can affirm his praises best,

  And have, though overcome, confest

  How good he is, how just

  And fit for highest trust; 80

  Nor yet grown stiffer with command,

  But still in the Republic’s hand —

  How fit he is to sway

  That can so well obey!

  He to the Commons’ feet presents 85

  A Kingdom for his first year’s rents,

  And (what he may) forbears

  His fame, to make it theirs:

  And has his sword and spoils ungirt

  To lay them at the Public’s skirt. 90

  So when the falcon high

  Falls heavy from the sky,

  She, having kill’d, no more does search

  But on the next green bough to perch,

  Where, when he first does lure, 95

  The falconer has her sure.

  — What may not then our Isle presume

  While victory his crest does plume?

  What may not others fear

  If thus he crowns each year? 100

  As Cæsar he, ere long, to Gaul,

  To Italy an Hannibal,

  And to all States not free

  Shall climacteric be.

  The Pict no shelter now shall find 105

  Within his parti-colour’d mind,

  But from this valour sad,

  Shrink underneath the plaid —

  Happy, if in the tufted brake

&n
bsp; The English hunter him mistake, 110

  Nor lay his hounds in near

  The Caledonian deer.

  But Thou, the War’s and Fortune’s son,

  March indefatigably on;

  And for the last effect 115

  Still keep the sword erect:

  Besides the force it has to fright

  The spirits of the shady night,

  The same arts that did gain

  A power, must it maintain. 120

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Song of the Emigrants in Bermuda

  Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)

  WHERE the remote Bermudas ride

  In the ocean’s bosom unespied,

  From a small boat that row’d along

  The listening winds received this song:

  ‘What should we do but sing His praise 5

  That led us through the watery maze

  Where He the huge sea-monsters wracks,

  That lift the deep upon their backs,

  Unto an isle so long unknown,

  And yet far kinder than our own? 10

  He lands us on a grassy stage,

  Safe from the storms, and prelate’s rage:

  He gave us this eternal spring

  Which here enamels everything,

  And sends the fowls to us in care 15

  On daily visits through the air.

  He hangs in shades the orange bright

  Like golden lamps in a green night,

  And does in the pomegranates close

  Jewels more rich than Ormus shows: 20

  He makes the figs our mouths to meet

  And throws the melons at our feet;

  But apples plants of such a price,

  No tree could ever bear them twice.

  With cedars chosen by his hand 25

  From Lebanon he stores the land;

  And makes the hollow seas that roar

  Proclaim the ambergris on shore.

  He cast (of which we rather boast)

  The Gospel’s pearl upon our coast; 30

  And in these rocks for us did frame

  A temple where to sound His name.

  Oh! let our voice His praise exalt

  Till it arrive at Heaven’s vault,

  Which then perhaps rebounding may 35

  Echo beyond the Mexique bay!’

  — Thus sung they in the English boat

  A holy and a cheerful note:

  And all the way, to guide their chime,

  With falling oars they kept the time. 40

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Thoughts in a Garden

  Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)

  HOW vainly men themselves amaze

  To win the palm, the oak, or bays,

  And their incessant labours see

  Crown’d from some single herb or tree,

  Whose short and narrow-vergèd shade 5

  Does prudently their toils upbraid;

  While all the flowers and trees do close

  To weave the garlands of Repose.

  Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,

  And Innocence thy sister dear? 10

  Mistaken long, I sought you then

  In busy companies of men:

  Your sacred plants, if here below,

  Only among the plants will grow:

  Society is all but rude 15

  To this delicious solitude.

  No white nor red was ever seen

  So amorous as this lovely green.

  Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,

  Cut in these trees their mistress’ name: 20

  Little, alas, they know or heed

  How far these beauties her exceed!

  Fair trees! where’er your barks I wound,

  No name shall but your own be found.

  When we have run our passions’ heat 25

  Love hither makes his best retreat:

  The gods, who mortal beauty chase,

  Still in a tree did end their race;

  Apollo hunted Daphne so

  Only that she might laurel grow; 30

  And Pan did after Syrinx speed

  Not as a nymph, but for a reed.

  What wondrous life is this I lead!

  Ripe apples drop about my head;

  The luscious clusters of the vine 35

  Upon my mouth do crush their wine;

  The nectarine and curious peach

  Into my hands themselves do reach;

  Stumbling on melons, as I pass,

  Ensnared with flowers, I fall on grass. 40

  Meanwhile the mind from pleasure less

  Withdraws into its happiness;

  The mind, that ocean where each kind

  Does straight its own resemblance find;

  Yet it creates, transcending these, 45

  Far other worlds, and other seas;

  Annihilating all that’s made

  To a green thought in a green shade.

  Here at the fountain’s sliding foot

  Or at some fruit-tree’s mossy root, 50

  Casting the body’s vest aside

  My soul into the boughs does glide;

  There, like a bird, it sits and sings,

  Then whets and claps its silver wings,

  And, till prepared for longer flight, 55

  Waves in its plumes the various light.

  Such was that happy Garden-state

  While man there walk’d without a mate:

  After a place so pure and sweet,

  What other help could yet be meet! 60

  But ’twas beyond a mortal’s share

  To wander solitary there:

  Two paradises ‘twere in one,

  To live in Paradise alone.

  How well the skilful gardener drew 65

  Of flowers and herbs this dial new!

  Where, from above, the milder sun

  Does through a fragrant zodiac run:

  And, as it works, th’ industrious bee

  Computes its time as well as we. 70

  How could such sweet and wholesome hours

  Be reckon’d, but with herbs and flowers!

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Love Will Find Out the Way

  Anonymous

  OVER the mountains

  And over the waves,

  Under the fountains

  And under the graves;

  Under floods that are deepest, 5

  Which Neptune obey;

  Over rocks that are steepest

  Love will find out the way.

  Where there is no place

  For the glow-worm to lie; 10

  Where there is no space

  For receipt of a fly;

  Where the midge dares not venture

  Lest herself fast she lay;

  If love come, he will enter 15

  And soon find out his way.

  You may esteem him

  A child for his might;

  Or you may deem him

  A coward from his flight; 20

  But if she whom love doth honour

  Be conceal’d from the day,

  Set a thousand guards upon her,

  Love will find out the way.

  Some think to lose him 25

  By having him confined;

  And some do suppose him,

  Poor thing, to be blind;

  But if ne’er so close ye wall him,

  Do the best that you may, 30

  Blind love, if so ye call him,

  Will find out his way.

  You may train the eagle

  To stoop to your fist;

  Or you may inveigle 35

  The phoenix of the east;

  The lioness, ye may move her

  To give o’er her prey;

  But you’ll ne’er stop a lover:


  He will find out his way. 40

  List of Poems in Alphabetical Order

  List of Poets in Alphabetical Order

  Phillada Flouts Me

  Anonymous

  O WHAT a plague is love!

  How shall I bear it?

  She will inconstant prove,

  I greatly fear it.

  She so torments my mind 5

  That my strength faileth,

  And wavers with the wind

  As a ship saileth.

  Please her the best I may,

  She loves still to gainsay; 10

  Alack and well-a-day!

  Phillada flouts me.

  At the fair yesterday

  She did pass by me;

  She look’d another way 15

  And would not spy me:

  I woo’d her for to dine,

  But could not get her;

  Will had her to the wine —

  He might entreat her. 20

  With Daniel she did dance,

  On me she look’d askance:

  O thrice unhappy chance!

  Phillada flouts me.

  Fair maid, be not so coy, 25

  Do not disdain me!

  I am my mother’s joy:

  Sweet, entertain me!

  She’ll give me, when she dies,

  All that is fitting: 30

  Her poultry and her bees,

  And her goose sitting,

  A pair of mattrass beds,

  And a bag full of shreds;

  And yet, for all this guedes, 35

  Phillada flouts me.

  She hath a clout of mine

  Wrought with blue coventry,

  Which she keeps for a sign

  Of my fidelity: 40

  But i’ faith, if she flinch

  She shall not wear it;

  To Tib, my t’other wench,

  I mean to bear it.

  And yet it grieves my heart 45

  So soon from her to part:

 

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