Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IN PRAISE OF A COUNTRY LIFE, by PHILIP AYRES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IN PRAISE OF A COUNTRY LIFE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The bliss which souls enjoy above
Last Line: But happy he possesses more of solid life.
Subject(s): Country Life


THE bliss which souls enjoy above,
He seems on Earth to share,
Who does divine retirement love,
And frees himself from care,
Nor thought admits which may his peace control,
But in a quiet state contents his bounded soul.

Faction and noisy routs he hates,
Fills not his head with news,
Waits at no state-man's crowded gates,
Nor servile phrase does use;
From all false meaning are his words refin'd,
His sober out-side is the index of his mind.

In pleasant shades enjoys his ease,
No project spoils his sleep,
With rural pipe himself can please,
And charm his wand'ring sheep,
Till to his cottage in some quiet grove,
By dusky night's approach he's summon'd to remove.

On tempting gold, and baits of gain,
With scorn he casts his eyes,
As Mischief's root, and Virtue's bane,
Can their assaults despise;
Riches he sees our liberty abuse,
And to their slavish yoke he does his neck refuse.

Fruit-trees their loaded boughs extend,
For him to take his choice;
His wholesome drink the fountains lend,
With pleasant purling noise;
In notes untaught, birds that like him are free,
Strive which shall most delight him with their harmony.

Th' industrious bee example shows,
And teaches him to live,
While she from woodbine, pink, and rose,
Flies loaded to her hive:
Yet narrow bounds contain his winter's store,
Let Nature be supplied, and he desires no more.

No misery this man attends,
Vice cannot him allure,
Each chance contributes to his ends,
Which makes his peace secure;
Others may boast of their luxurious strife,
But happy he possesses more of solid life.





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