Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EPITAPH ON MR. VAUX, THE PHYSICIAN, by WILLIAM BROWNE (1591-1643)


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EPITAPH ON MR. VAUX, THE PHYSICIAN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Stay! This grave deserves a tear
Last Line: Will rather think you in the grave than he.
Alternate Author Name(s): Browne, William Of Tavistock
Subject(s): Epitaphs; Vaux, Francis (1601-1631)


STAY! this grave deserves a tear;
'Tis not a corse, but life lies here:
May be thine own, at least some part,
And thou the walking marble art.
'Tis Vaux! whom Art and Nature gave
A power to pluck men from the grave;
When others' drugs made ghosts of men,
His gave them back their flesh agen;
'Tis he lies here, and thou and I
May wonder he found time to die;
So busied was he, and so rife,
Distributing both health and life.
Honour his marble with your tears,
You, to whom he hath added years;
You, whose life's light he was about
So careful, that his own went out.
Be you his living monument! or we
Will rather think you in the grave than he.





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