Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A DIALOGUE; CLORIS AND PARTHENISSA, by THOMAS FLATMAN


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A DIALOGUE; CLORIS AND PARTHENISSA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Why dost thou all address deny?
Last Line: Kill him with kindness, and the day's your own.


C. WHY dost thou all address deny?
Hard-hearted Parthenissa, why?
See how the trembling lovers come,
That from thy lips expect their doom.
P. Cloris! I hate them all, they know,
Nay I have often told them so;
Their silly politics abhorr'd:
I scorn to make my slave my lord.
C. But Strephon's eyes proclaim his love
Too brave, tyrannical to prove.
P. Ah, Cloris! when we lose our pow'r
We must obey the conqueror.
C. Yet where a gentle Prince bears sway,
It is no bondage to obey.
P. But if like Nero, for awhile,
With arts of kindness he beguile;
How shall the tyrant be withstood
When he has writ his laws in blood!
C. Love, Parthenissa, all commands:
It fetters Kings in charming bands;
Mars yields his arms to Cupid's darts,
And Beauty softens savage hearts.
Chorus.
If nothing else can pull the Tyrant down,
Kill him with kindness, and the day's your own.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


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