Alexander Pope: Minor poems Edited by Norman Ault: Completed by John Butt |
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Verses in imitation of COWLEY.
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 | Alexander Pope: Minor poems |  |
13
Verses in imitation of COWLEY.
By a Youth of thirteen.
I. Presenting a Lark.
Go tuneful bird, forbear to soar,
And the bright sun admire no more;
Go bask in Serenissa's eyes,
And turn a bird of paradise.
And the bright sun admire no more;
Go bask in Serenissa's eyes,
And turn a bird of paradise.
14
In those fair beams thy wings display,
Take shorter journies to the day,
And at an humbler pitch prefer
Thy musick to an angel's ear.
Take shorter journies to the day,
And at an humbler pitch prefer
Thy musick to an angel's ear.
Nor, tho' her slave, thy lot deplore;
The god of love himself's no more:
Ev'n him to constancy she brings,
And clips, like thine, his wav'ring wings.
The god of love himself's no more:
Ev'n him to constancy she brings,
And clips, like thine, his wav'ring wings.
She gains from us, as now from thee,
Our songs by our captivity;
But happier you attention gain,
While wretched lovers sing in vain.
Our songs by our captivity;
But happier you attention gain,
While wretched lovers sing in vain.
II. The River.
Hail sacred spring, whose fruitful stream
Fattens the flocks, and cloaths the plain;
The melancholy poets theme,
And solace of the thirsty swain.
Fattens the flocks, and cloaths the plain;
The melancholy poets theme,
And solace of the thirsty swain.
Thou fly'st, like time, with eager haste;
Behind thy self thou still dost stay;
Thy stream, like his, is never past,
And yet is ever on the way.
Behind thy self thou still dost stay;
Thy stream, like his, is never past,
And yet is ever on the way.
While mankind boasts superior sight,
With eyes erect the heav'ns to see;
The starry eyes of heav'n delight
To gaze upon themselves in thee.
With eyes erect the heav'ns to see;
The starry eyes of heav'n delight
To gaze upon themselves in thee.
15
A second sun thou dost present,
And bring new heav'ns before our eyes;
We view a milder firmament,
And pleas'd, look downward to the skies.
And bring new heav'ns before our eyes;
We view a milder firmament,
And pleas'd, look downward to the skies.
Thy streams were once th'impartial test
Of untaught nature's humble pride,
When by thy glass the nymphs were drest,
In flow'rs, the honours of thy side.
Of untaught nature's humble pride,
When by thy glass the nymphs were drest,
In flow'rs, the honours of thy side.
Of thee they drank, till blushing fruit
Was ravisht from the tender vine;
And man, like thee, was impollute,
Till mischief learn'd to mix with wine.
Was ravisht from the tender vine;
And man, like thee, was impollute,
Till mischief learn'd to mix with wine.
| Alexander Pope: Minor poems | |