A Collection of Emblemes Ancient and Moderne: Quickened VVith Metricall Illvstrations, both Morall and Divine: And disposed into Lotteries, That Instruction, and Good Counsell, may bee furthered by an Honest and Pleasant Recreation. By George Wither |
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 | A Collection of Emblemes |  |
214
Illvstr. VI.
[Poore Hart, why dost thou run so fast? and why]
When woe is in our selves begun,
Then, whither from it, can wee run?
Then, whither from it, can wee run?
Poore
Hart, why dost thou run so fast? and why,
Behind thee dost thou looke, when thou dost fly?
As if thou seem'dst in thy swift flight, to heare
Those dangers following thee, wch thou dost feare?
Alas! thou labour'st, and thou runn'st in vaine,
To shunne, by flight, thy terrors, or thy paine;
For, loe, thy Death, which thou hast dreaded so,
Clings fast unto thee, wheresoere thou goe:
And while thou toyl'st, an outward-ease to win,
Thou draw'st thine owne destruction further in;
Making that Arrow, which but prickes thy hide,
To pierce thy tender entrailes, through thy side.
Behind thee dost thou looke, when thou dost fly?
As if thou seem'dst in thy swift flight, to heare
Those dangers following thee, wch thou dost feare?
Alas! thou labour'st, and thou runn'st in vaine,
To shunne, by flight, thy terrors, or thy paine;
For, loe, thy Death, which thou hast dreaded so,
Clings fast unto thee, wheresoere thou goe:
And while thou toyl'st, an outward-ease to win,
Thou draw'st thine owne destruction further in;
Making that Arrow, which but prickes thy hide,
To pierce thy tender entrailes, through thy side.
And, well I may this wounded Hart bemoane;
For, here, me thinkes, I'm taught to looke upon
Mine owne condition; and, in him, to see
Those deadly wounds, my Sinnes have made in mee.
I greatly feare the World, may unawares
Intangle mee, by her alluring snares:
I am afraid, the Devill may inject
Some poys'nous fume, my Spirit to infect,
With ghostly Pestilence; and, I assay,
To flie from these, with all the pow'rs I may.
But, oh my Flesh! this very Flesh I weare,
Is worse to mee, that Worlds, and Devils are:
For, without this, no pow'r on mee, they had.
This is that Shirt, which made Alcides mad.
It is a griefe, which I shall never cure,
Nor flie from, whilst my life-time doth endure:
From thence, oh Lord, my greatest sorrowes bee;
And therefore, from my Selfe, I flie to Thee.
For, here, me thinkes, I'm taught to looke upon
Mine owne condition; and, in him, to see
Those deadly wounds, my Sinnes have made in mee.
I greatly feare the World, may unawares
Intangle mee, by her alluring snares:
I am afraid, the Devill may inject
Some poys'nous fume, my Spirit to infect,
With ghostly Pestilence; and, I assay,
To flie from these, with all the pow'rs I may.
But, oh my Flesh! this very Flesh I weare,
Is worse to mee, that Worlds, and Devils are:
For, without this, no pow'r on mee, they had.
This is that Shirt, which made Alcides mad.
It is a griefe, which I shall never cure,
Nor flie from, whilst my life-time doth endure:
From thence, oh Lord, my greatest sorrowes bee;
And therefore, from my Selfe, I flie to Thee.
| A Collection of Emblemes | |