Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO A YOUNG GENTLE-WOMAN [CONCERNING HER CHOICE], by RICHARD CRASHAW Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Dear, heaven-designed soul! Last Line: May it not be amongst the sonnes of men. Variant Title(s): To [mrs. M.r.] Councel Concerning Her Choice Subject(s): Marriage; Nuns; Weddings; Husbands; Wives | ||||||||
Dear, heaven-designed SOUL! Amongst the rest Of suters that beseige your Maiden brest, Why may not I My fortune try And venture to speak one good word Not for my self alas, but for my dearer LORD? You'ave seen allready, in this lower sphear Of froth and bubbles, what to look for here. Say, gentle soul, what can you find But painted shapes, Peacocks and Apes, Illustrious flyes, Guilded dunghills, glorious LYES, Goodly surmises And deep disguises, Oathes of water, words of wind? TRUTH biddes me say, 'tis time you cease to trust Your soul to any son of dust. 'Tis time you listen to a braver love, Which from above Calls you up higher And biddes you come And choose your roome Among his own fair sonnes of fire, Where you among The golden throng That watches at his palace doores May passe along And follow those fair starres of yours; Starrs much too fair and pure to wait upon The false smiles of a sublunary sun. Sweet, let me prophesy that at last t'will prove Your wary love Layes up his purer and more pretious vowes, And meanes them for a farre more worthy SPOUSE Then this world of Lyes can give ye, 'Evn for Him with whom nor cost, Nor love, nor labour can be lost; Him who never will deceive ye. Let not my lord, the Mighty lover Of soules, disdain that I discover The hidden art Of his high stratagem to win your heart; It was his heavnly art Kindly to crosse you In your mistaken love, That, at the next remove Thence he might tosse you And strike your troubled heart Home to himself; to hide it in his brest The bright ambrosiall nest, Of love, of life, and everlasting rest. Happy Mystake! That thus shall wake Your wise soul, never to be wonne Now with a love below the sun. Your first choyce failes, o when you choose agen May it not be amongst the sonnes of Men. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BLESSING FOR A WEDDING by JANE HIRSHFIELD A SUITE FOR MARRIAGE by DAVID IGNATOW ADVICE TO HER SON ON MARRIAGE by MARY BARBER THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD KISSING AGAIN by DORIANNE LAUX A TIME PAST by DENISE LEVERTOV A HYMN [TO THE NAME AND] IN HONOR OF SAINT TERESA by RICHARD CRASHAW A SONG [OF DIVINE LOVE] by RICHARD CRASHAW AN EPITAPH UPON HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO DIED AND WERE BURIED by RICHARD CRASHAW |
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