Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NEW PRISON, by CHARLES COTTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NEW PRISON, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: You squires o' th' shade, that love to tread
Last Line: But that the vile tobacco chokes me.
Subject(s): Prisons & Prisoners; Convicts


YOU Squires o' th' shade, that love to tread
In gloomy night, when day's in bed;
That court the Moon, supposing she
Likes such a watchful industry;
Read here a story, it will make
Your eyelids droop, when she's awake.
'Tis not the horrid noise of wars,
Consequent chances, wounds and scars,
The dangers of the foaming Deep,
Nor all the bugbear Fates, that keep
Fond men in awe, Hobgoblins, Sprites,
Dire dreams in dark and tedious nights,
A troubled conscience, nor the sense
Of man's despairing diffidence,
That can present so sad a face
Of black affliction, as this place.

The sneaking rascals, lowsy whores,
The creaking of the dismal doors,
That stink of stinks that fumes within,
(Symptoms of beasts that dwell therein)
So rot the air, cameleons could
Not live unpoison'd with such food;
There's reason for 't, no Mortal can
Step from the excrement of Man;
And that which should howe'er be sweet,
Is like the rest; I mean, their meat;
The locusts of the wilderness
Are sweetmeats to their nasty mess.
I could say more; the place provokes me,
But that the vile tobacco chokes me.





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