Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE NET, by JOSEPH BEAUMONT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE NET, by                    
First Line: Dear jesu, oh how carefull is thy love
Last Line: And on ye tree of life mayst rest thy wing.
Subject(s): Flight; Flying


DEAR Jesu, oh how carefull is Thy Love,
Which meets me every where!
Into ye Feild no sooner did I move,
But it was ready there.
Ready to use, & catch me in that Net,
A Fowler there by chance, for Birds had set.

I heard ye Fowler, & his brac'd Decoyes
Stretch their alluring voice;
Which when ye unsuspitious Birds did heare,
They sporting flutter'd neere;
This was enough; up flew ye Net & they
Fell downe as fast, ye greedy Fowlers prey.

Had they still kept aloft in their pure spheare,
And sung their Vespers there,
They might have sup'd in quiet, & have gone
Safely to roost anon.
But gadding wantonly too neere ye ground,
Onely ye way into their grave they found.

Take warning then my Heart: this Earth below
All thick with snares doth grow.
This Net hath caught Me, & convinc'd me so
That there's no saying No.
If Hearts but hover neere ye Dust, straitway
The Serpent, that dwells there, makes them his prey.

Discredit not those active Wings of thine,
Whose flight should be divine.
The Region of thy busines is above,
In ye cleare Orbe of Love,
Where Thou with Birds of Paradise mayst sing
And on ye Tree of Life mayst rest thy Wing.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net