Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AMBITION, by EDWARD LYSAGHT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AMBITION, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Ease often visits shepherd-swains
Last Line: Clean linen, and a guinea!
Subject(s): Ambition


EASE often visits shepherd-swains,
Nor in the lowly cot disdains
To take a bit of dinner;
But would not for a turtle-treat,
Sit with a miser or a cheat,
Or cankered party sinner.

Ease makes the sons of labour glad,
Ease travels with the merry lad
Who whistles by his wagon;
With me she prattles all day long,
And choruses my simple song,
And shares my foaming flagon.

The lamp of life is soon burnt out;
Then who'd for riches make a rout,
Except a doating blockhead?
When Charon takes 'em both aboard,
Of equal worth's the miser's hoard
And spendthrift's empty pocket.

In such a scurvy world as this
We must not hope for perfect bliss,
And length of life together;
We have no moral liberty
At will to live, at will to die,
In fair or stormy weather.

Many, I see, have riches plenty --
Fine coaches, livery, servants twenty; --
Yet envy never pains me;
My appetite's as good as theirs,
I sleep as sound, as free from fears;
I've only what maintains me!

And while the precious joys I prove
Of Tom's true friendship -- and the love
Of bonny black-eyed Jenny, --
Ye gods! my wishes are confined
To -- health of body, peace of mind,
Clean linen, and a guinea!





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