Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A SKELTONIAD, by MICHAEL DRAYTON Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The muse should be sprightly Last Line: How well to live, and not how long. | ||||||||
The Muse should be sprightly, Yet not handling lightly Things grave; as much loath, Things that be slight, to cloath Curiously: To retayne The Comelinesse in meane, Is true Knowledge and Wit. Nor me forc'd Rage doth fit, That I thereto should lacke Tabacco, or need Sacke, Which to the colder Braine Is the true Hyppocrene; Nor did I ever care For great Fooles, nor them spare. Vertue, though neglected, Is not so dejected, As vilely to descend To low Basenesse their end; Neyther each ryming Slave Deserves the Name to have Of Poet: so the Rabble Of Fooles, for the Table, That have their Jests by Heart, As an Actor his Part, Might assume them Chayres Amongst the Muses Heyres. Parnassus is not clome By every such Mome; Up whose steepe side who swerves, It behoves t'have strong Nerves: My Resolution such, How well, and not how much To write, thus doe I fare, Like some few good that care (The evill sort among) How well to live, and not how long. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IDEA: 14. TO TIME by MICHAEL DRAYTON IDEA: TO THE READER OF THESE SONNETS, INTRODUCTION by MICHAEL DRAYTON TO THE VIRGINIAN VOYAGE [1611] by MICHAEL DRAYTON A HYMNE TO HIS LADIES BIRTH-PLACE by MICHAEL DRAYTON AN AMOURET ANACREONTICK by MICHAEL DRAYTON AN ELEGIE UPON THE DEATH OF THE LADY PENELOPE CLIFTON by MICHAEL DRAYTON |
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