Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ENGLISHED THUS 'PARAFRASTIKWJ', by THOMAS RANDOLPH



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ENGLISHED THUS 'PARAFRASTIKWJ', by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The spring was come, and all the fields grown fine
Last Line: Ariadne's crown and cassiopoea's chair.


THE spring was come, and all the fields grown fine;
My flame Lycoris, like young Prosperine,
Went forth to gather flowers. Bettering their scent,
They took more sweetness from her than they lent.
Now loaden with her harvest, and o'erpress'd
With her sweet toil, she laid her down to rest.
Lilies did strow her couch, and proud were grown
To bear a whiteness purer than their own.
Roses fell down soft pillows to her head,
And blush'd themselves into a deeper red
To emulate her cheeks. Flora did set
Her maids to work to weave the violet
Into a purple rug, to shield the fair
Lycoris from the malice of the air;
When lo! a snake hid in the neighbour bow'rs
(Ah! who could think treason should lurk in flowers?)
Shoots forth her checker'd skin, and gently creeps
O'er my Lycoris, that as gently sleeps.
I saw it, and a sudden frost possess'd
My frighted soul in my then troubled breast.
What fears appeared not to my mind and me?
Thou first were call'd, bemoan'd Eurydice,
By serpent's envy forced to expire,
From Orpheus rapt, and his death-conquering lyre.
But when I found he wore a guiltless sting,
And more of love did than of treason bring;
How quickly could my former fear depart,
And to a greater leave my jealous heart!
For the smooth viper every member scands,
Afric he loathes now, and the barren sands
That nurs'd him, wond'ring at the glorious sight
Of thighs and belly, and her breasts more white
Than their own milk. Ah! might I still (quoth he)
Crawl in such fields, 'twixt two such mountains be!
There me he spied, and fearing to be seen,
Shrouds to her neck, thinking 't had lilies been.
But viewing her bright cheeks, he soon did cry,
Under yon roses shall I safer lie.
Thence did her forehead with full veins appear,
Good heaven! (quoth he) what violets grow here
On this clear promontory? Hence he slides
Up to her locks, and through her tresses glides --
Her yellow tresses; dazzl'd to behold
A glistering grove, an entire wood of gold.
Th' Hesperian wood he thinks he now hath seen,
That thought but now they had an orchard been;
For leaves and boughs the Archimenian vine,
The Dodon oak and the Thessalian pine
Must yield to these: no trees so bright as they,
Nor Paphian myrtles, nor Peneian bay!
Joy now fill'd all his breast: no timorous fear
Of danger could find room to harbour there.
Down slips he, and about each limb he hurls
His wanton body into numerous curls.
And while his tail had thrown itself a chain
About her neck, his head bears up again;
With his black lips her warmer lips he greets;
And there with kisses steep'd in nectar meets.
Thence Zephyr's breath he sucks; then doth he smell
Perfumes that all th' Arabian gums excel,
And spices that do build the Phoenix pyre,
When she renews her youth in funeral fire.
Nor seeks he poison there, but (like the bee),
That on Mount Hybla plies her husbandry,
He gathers honey thence. Now, now I know
With Aristaeus' flocks a snake may go.
Ah! cold at heart, I fear'd some heavenly sleight,
And Jove my rival; that his old deceit
Had once again this borrowed shape put on
To court my nymph, as he Deois won,
Uplift the snake his head (for pleasure now
Held all his soul), and with erected brow
To flatter's love he sung; he strives to play,
And hisses forth a well-tun'd roundelay.
This wakes the nymph; her eyes admit the day.
Here flowers, and there her scatter'd garlands lay,
Which as she picks up, and with bents reties,
She in her lap the speckled serpent spies.
The nymph no sign of any terror shows
(How bold is beauty, when her strength she knows!)
And in her hand the tender worm she grasp'd,
While it sometimes about her finger clasp'd
A ring enamell'd, then her tender waist
In manner of a girdle round embrac'd,
and now upon her arm a bracelet hung,
Where, for the greater ornament, he flung
His limber body into several folds
And twenty winding figures, where it holds
Her amorous pulse in many a various twist,
And many a love-knot ties upon her wrist.
Lycoris, to the gods thou art too dear,
And too-too much of heaven beloved, I fear!
This or that nymph's the Red Sea spoils may be,
But Lybia ne'er sent jewels but to thee.
Whate'er to us are deaths and poisons sent,
Desire to be Lycoris' ornament:
For that same little spider that hangs up,
Together with her web, on the housetop.
When she beheld the snake a bracelet made,
Struck with an envy and a love, she said,
And shall a snake thy gem Lycoris be,
And such bright form receive no tires from me?
Then flings her nets away, and throwing by
Her subtle toil she sets to catch the fly,
To th' loom Arachne goes, and plies it there
To work a robe for my Lycoris' wear.
But thou, O serpent, which so blest canst be
To reap those joys for which I envy thee!
That (happy worm) upon her lips last hung,
Sucking in kisses with thy three-fork'd tongue
(So may'st thou age and skin together cast,
And oft recall thy youth, when it is past),
Teach my Lycoris what your arts may be;
Let her th' ingredients of thy cordials see.
That she may ne'er grow old: that time's dull plough
May never print a wrinkle in her brow.
I charge thee, in the powerful Cupid's name,
May a new beauty always and the same
Lycoris show; ne'er may she in her glass
Look for her own, and find another face.
Venus for beauty may she then appear,
When she has liv'd to old Sybilla's year.
And when, dear snake, thou wilt no more renew
Thy youthful vigour, bid base earth adieu,
Add glory to the night, or from his sphere
Huge Python pull, and fix thy torches there,
Where like a river thou shalt bending go,
And through the orb (a starry torrent) flow.
And thou, Lycoris, when th' art pleas'd to take
No more of life, next thy beloved snake
Shine forth a constellation, full and bright;
Bless the poor heavens with more majestic light.
Who in requital shall present you there
Ariadne's Crown and Cassiopoea's Chair.





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