 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
Night.
Quatrains.
I
The Sun is set, and gone to sleepWith the fair Princess of the Deep,
Whose Bosom is his cool Retreat,
When fainting with his proper Heat:
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II
His Steeds their flaming Nostrils coolIn Spume of the Cerulean Pool;
Whilst the Wheels dip their hissing Naves
Deep in Columbus's Western Waves.
III
From whence great rowls of Smoke ariseTo overshade the Beauteous Skies;
Who bid the World's bright Eye adieu
In gelid tears of falling Dew.
IV
And now from the Iberian ValesNights sable Steeds her Chariot hales,
Where double Cypress Curtains skreen
The gloomy Melancholick Queen.
V
These, as they higher mount the Sky,Ravish all Colour from the Eye,
And leave it but an useless glass,
Which few, or no Reflections grace.
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VI
The Crystal Arch o're Pindus's CrownIs on a sudden dusky grown,
And all's with Fun'ral Black o'respread,
As if the Day, which sleeps, were dead.
VII
No Ray of Light the Heart to chear,But little twinkling Stars appear;
Which like faint dying embers ly,
Fit nor to work, nor travel by.
VIII
Perhaps to him they Torches are,Who guide Night's Sovereign's drowsy Car,
And him they may befriend so near,
But us they neither light, nor chear.
IX
Or else those little sparks of LightAre Nayls that tyre the Wheels of Night,
Which to new stations still are brought,
As they rowl o'r the gloomy Vault.
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X
Or Nayls that arm the Horses hoof,Which trampling o're the marble Roof,
And striking Fire in the Air,
We Mortals call a shooting Star.
XI
That's all the Light we now receive,Unless what belching Vulcans give,
And those yield such a kind of Light
As adds more horror to the Night.
XII
Nyctimine now freed from day,From sullen Bush flies out to prey,
And does with Feret note proclaim
Th' arrival of th' usurping Dame.
XIII
The Rail now cracks in Fields and Meads,Toads now forsake the Nettle-beds,
The tim'rous Hare goes to relief,
And wary Men bolt out the Theef.
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XIV
The Fire's new rak'r, and Hearth swept cleanBy Madg, the dirty Kitchin Quean,
The Safe is lock't, the Mouse-trap set,
The Leaven laid, and Bucking wet.
XV
Now in false Floors and Roofs above,The lustful Cats make ill tun'd Love,
The Ban dog on the Dunghil lies,
And watchful Nurse sings Lullabies.
XVI
Philomel chants it whilst she bleeds,The Butern booms it in the Reeds,
And Reynard entring the back Yard,
The Capitolian Cry is heard.
XVII
The Goblin now the Fool alarms,Haggs meet to mumble o're their Charms;
The Night mare rides the dreaming Ass,
And Fairies trip it on the grass.
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XVIII
The Drunkard now supinely snores,His load of Ale sweats through his Pores,
Yet when he wakes the Swine shall find
A Cropala remains behind.
XIX
The Sober now and Chast are blestWith sweet, and with refreshing rest,
And to sound sleeps they've best pretence,
Have greatest share of Innocence.
XX
We should so live then that we mayFearless put off our Clotts and Clay,
And travel through Death's shades to Light;
For every Day must have its Night.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |