Classic and Contemporary Poetry
UPON MY LADY CARLISLE'S WALKING IN HAMPTON COURT GARDEN, by JOHN SUCKLING Poet's Biography First Line: Didst thou not find the place inspired Last Line: Where fools with ease go in and out? Subject(s): Beauty; Carew, Thomas (1595-1640); Hay, Lucy. Countess Of Carlisle | ||||||||
Dialogue between Thomas Carew and John Suckling: T.C. Didst thou not find the place inspired And flowers, as if they had desired No other sun, start from their beds, And for a sight steal out their heads? Heardst thou not music when she talked? And didst not find that as she walked She threw rare perfumes all about, Such as bean-blossoms newly out, Or chafed spices give? -- J.S. I must confess those perfumes, Tom I did not smell; nor found that from Her passing by ought sprung up new. The flowers had all their birth from you; For I passed o'er the self-same walk And did not find one single stalk Of anything that was to bring This unknown after-after-spring. T.C. Dull and insensible, couldst see A thing so near a deity Move up and down, and feel no change? J.S. None, and so great, were alike strange; I had my thoughts, but not your way. All are not born, sir, to the bay. Alas! Tom, I am flesh and blood, And was consulting how I could In spite of masks and hoods descry The parts denied unto the eye. I was undoing all she wore, And had she walked but one turn more, Eve in her first state had not been More naked or more plainly seen. T.C. 'Twas well for thee she left the place; There is great danger in that face. But hadst thou viewed her leg and thigh, And upon that discovery Searched after parts that are more dear (As fancy seldom stops so near), No time or age had ever seen So lost a thing as thou hadst been. J.S. 'Troth in her face I could descry No danger, no divinity. But since the pillars were so good On which the lovely fountain stood, Being once come so near, I think I should have ventur'd hard to drink. What ever fool like me had been If I'd not done as well as seen? There to be lost why should I doubt, Where fools with ease go in and out? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BALLAD UPON A WEDDING by JOHN SUCKLING A SUPPLEMENT OF AN IMPERFECT COPY OF VERSES OF MR. WILL. SHAKESPEARE'S by JOHN SUCKLING A PEDLAR OF SMALL-WARES by JOHN SUCKLING A PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR'S TO A MASQUE AT WHITTON by JOHN SUCKLING |
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