IT was a valley gaudy-green, Where Dian at the fount was seen; Green it was, And did pass All other of Diana's bowers In the pride of Flora's flowers. A fount it was that no sun sees, Circled in with cypress-trees, Set so nigh As Phœbus' eye Could not do the virgins scathe, To see them naked when they bathe. She sat there all in white, Colour fitting her delight: Virgins so Ought to go, For white in armory is plac'd To be the colour that is chaste. Her taff'ta cassock might you see Tuckèd up above her knee, Which did show There below Legs as white as whalès-bone; So white and chaste were never none. Hard by her, upon the ground, Sat her virgins in a round, Bathing their Golden hair, And singing all in notes high, "Fie on Venus' flattering eye! "Fie on love! it is a toy; Cupid witless and a boy; All his fires, And desires, Are plagues that God sent down from high To pester men with misery." As thus the virgins did disdain Lovers' joy and lovers' pain, Cupid nigh Did espy, Grieving at Diana's song, Slyly stole these maids among. His bow of steel, darts of fire He shot amongst them sweet desire, Which straight flies In their eyes, And at the entrance made them start, For it ran from eye to heart. Calisto straight supposèd Jove Was fair and frolic for to love; Dian she Scap'd not free, For, well I wot, hereupon She lov'd the swain Endymion; Clytie Phœbus, and Chloris' eye Thought none so fair as Mercury: Venus thus Did discuss By her son in darts of fire, None so chaste to check desire. Dian rose with all her maids, Blushing thus at love's braids: With sighs, all Show their thrall; And flinging hence pronounce this saw, "What so strong as love's sweet law?" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE JOBHOLDER by DAVID IGNATOW RICH DAYS by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES THE CUMBERLAND by HERMAN MELVILLE SUMMER APPROACHES by MABEL WARREN ARNOLD BARCAROLE: DE VIGNY by E. G. B. |