Poems on Several Occasions ... To which is added, the Plague of Wealth, Occasion'd By the Author's receiving fifty Pounds from his Excellency the Lord Carteret, for the foremention'd Ode. With several Poems not in the Dublin Edition. By Matthew Pilkington. Revised by the Reverend Dr. Swift |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. | ODE IX. |
| XXXIV. |
 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
127
ODE IX.
Lov'ly, Snow-surpassing Dove,
Sacred to the Queen of Love,
Downy Wand'rer! whence, and where
Dost thou wanton thro' the Air?
How can'st thou thro' all the Sky
Breathe such Odours as you fly?
Where did'st thou the Fragrance steal,
Thus to scent the passing Gale?
How, from all thy glossy Plumes
Drop such ever-sweet Perfumes;
Stay—, and let thy Tongue impart
Whither hast'ning, whose thou art.
Sacred to the Queen of Love,
Downy Wand'rer! whence, and where
Dost thou wanton thro' the Air?
How can'st thou thro' all the Sky
Breathe such Odours as you fly?
Where did'st thou the Fragrance steal,
Thus to scent the passing Gale?
How, from all thy glossy Plumes
Drop such ever-sweet Perfumes;
Stay—, and let thy Tongue impart
Whither hast'ning, whose thou art.
128
Thro' the wide-expanded Air,
I Anacreon's Message bear,
Tender Love, and smiling Joy,
To the sweetly-featur'd Boy,
Who, of Charms divine possest,
Reigns ador'd in ev'ry Breast.
I Anacreon's Message bear,
Tender Love, and smiling Joy,
To the sweetly-featur'd Boy,
Who, of Charms divine possest,
Reigns ador'd in ev'ry Breast.
For an Hymn, the Queen of Love
Sold me, tho' her fav'rite Dove:
Now Anacreon I obey,
Tender Poet! ever gay!
These are now my pleasing Care,
These his soft Epistles are,
Who, still bountiful to me,
Promis'd soon to set me free.
Sold me, tho' her fav'rite Dove:
Now Anacreon I obey,
Tender Poet! ever gay!
These are now my pleasing Care,
These his soft Epistles are,
129
Promis'd soon to set me free.
Yet, cou'd I my Freedom gain,
I wou'd still a Slave remain:
Servitude will blissful prove,
If enslav'd to those we love.
I wou'd still a Slave remain:
Servitude will blissful prove,
If enslav'd to those we love.
Why need I, with anxious Care,
Wish to wander thro' the Air,
Or to haunt sequestred Scenes,
Groves, where lonely Silence reigns;
O'er the rocky Hills to fly,
Barren Scenes that tire the Eye;
Or from Field to Field to stray,
All the slow-consuming Day;
Or on Sprays to sit and moan,
Pensive, comfortless, alone,
Eating what thro' all the Fields,
Nature's wild Profusion yields?
Since my kind Possessor grants
Sweet Supply for all my Wants,
Since from his unsparing Hand
Where I fondly-cooing stand,
I can now, in wanton play,
Snatch delicious Food away.
Wish to wander thro' the Air,
Or to haunt sequestred Scenes,
Groves, where lonely Silence reigns;
O'er the rocky Hills to fly,
Barren Scenes that tire the Eye;
Or from Field to Field to stray,
All the slow-consuming Day;
130
Pensive, comfortless, alone,
Eating what thro' all the Fields,
Nature's wild Profusion yields?
Since my kind Possessor grants
Sweet Supply for all my Wants,
Since from his unsparing Hand
Where I fondly-cooing stand,
I can now, in wanton play,
Snatch delicious Food away.
From Anacreon's nectar'd Bowl
Wine I sip that cheers the Soul,
Wine, that makes his Numbers gay,
Parent of the sprightly Lay:
Raptur'd then my Wings I spread,
Gently-waving, o'er his Head,
While my fondling Motions tell
What Delights my Bosom swell.
Wine I sip that cheers the Soul,
Wine, that makes his Numbers gay,
Parent of the sprightly Lay:
131
Gently-waving, o'er his Head,
While my fondling Motions tell
What Delights my Bosom swell.
These are Pleasures which employ
All my Moments, wing'd with Joy,
And when these Amusements tire,
On his Soul-enchanting Lyre
Resting, Sleep with sweet Surprize,
Soft-descending Seals my Eyes.
All my Moments, wing'd with Joy,
And when these Amusements tire,
On his Soul-enchanting Lyre
Resting, Sleep with sweet Surprize,
Soft-descending Seals my Eyes.
Hence, inquiring Stranger, go,
You have all you wish'd to know;
I shall prattle while I stay
More incessant than a Jay.
You have all you wish'd to know;
I shall prattle while I stay
More incessant than a Jay.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |