Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 1, by GAIUS VALERIUS CATULLUS Poet's Biography First Line: My sweetest lesbia, let us live and love Last Line: And crown with love my ever-during night. Alternate Author Name(s): Catullus, Caius Valerius Subject(s): Carpe Diem; Death; Dead, The | ||||||||
MY sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love, And though the sager sort our deeds reprove, Let us not weigh them; heaven's great lamps do dive Into their west, and straight again revive; But, soon as once is set our little light, Then must we sleep one ever-during night. If all would lead their lives in love like me, Then bloody swords and armour should not be, No drum nor trumpet peaceful sleeps should move, Unless alarm came from the camp of love. But fools do live, and waste their little light, And seek with pain their ever-during night. When timely death my life and fortune ends, Let not my hearse be vexed with mourning friends: But let all lovers rich in triumph come, And with sweet pastimes grace my happy tomb; And, Lesbia, close up thou my little light, And crown with love my ever-during night. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 9 by THOMAS CAMPION |
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