Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO A FRIEND ON HIS MARRIAGE, by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER Poet's Biography First Line: When peleus wedded on thessalia's plain Last Line: Grow impotent and rotten in a stew. Subject(s): Happiness; Love; Marriage; Mythology - Classical; Pleasure; Joy; Delight; Weddings; Husbands; Wives | ||||||||
WHEN Peleus wedded on Thessalia's Plain, The silver-footed Regent of the Main, The Gods came flocking to the Nuptial Feast, Each left his Nectar to be Peleus' Guest; Jove laid his Scepter and his Thunders by, In Amber Clouds descending from the Sky; While Juno sat all-blooming by his Side, With Charms like those which for the Apple vy'd; Next, gayly-dancing, Hand in Hand there came, The Vine-crown'd Youth, and Laughter-loving Dame; Nor absent was the Trident-bearing God, In Coral Chariot o'er the Waves he rode, Bad the fierce Whirlwinds in their Caverns sleep, And Calmness smile upon the glassy Deep; Last came, prepar'd the Bridal Joys to tell, Each green-rob'd Nereïd with her chorded Shell: A Band of heav'nly Virtues, far more bright Than fabled Gods, to grace this Pair delight; Faith, pure-ey'd Nymph in snow-white Robes array'd, Meek Modesty of every Eye afraid; Honour with manly Front erect, appears, Hymen, an ever-blazing Torch who bears, And Love great God of Rapturesnot the Boy Who blindly wont to favour guilty Joy, But who presiding o'er chaste Marriage-Hours, All the soft Luxury of Fondness pours, While no harsh Jars the mutual Bliss controul, But Wish meets Wish, and Soul cements to Soul. Hail, happy Pair! may ne'er your Pleasures cease, May heart-felt Passion with your Years increase! Go, trifling Wits, insipidly deride The constant Husband, and the tender Bride; Rail at the real Bliss ye never knew, Grow impotent and rotten in a Stew. | 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 FAREWELL TO POETRY by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER A FRAGMENT OF A SATIRE by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER A PARAPHRASE ON THE 13TH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER |
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