Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ENVIE by WILLIAM MOTHERWELL

Poet Analysis

First Line: ANE PLANTE THERE IS OF THE DEIDLIEST POUIR
Last Line: FASHION IS A HERT LIKE THE FOUL FIEND'S AWIN!
Subject(s): ENVY;
ANE plante there is of the deidliest pouir
Quhilk flourischis deeply in the hert;
Its lang rutis creip and fald outoure
Ilka vive and breathen part:
Lustilie bourgenis the weid anon
Till hert hath rottit and lyf hath flown.

Blak is the sap of its baleful stem,
Lyk funeral blicht its leavis do fal;
In its moisture is quenchit luve's pure flame,
It drappis rust on inmost saul:
Lustilie bourgenis the weid anon,
Till hert hath rottit and lyf hath flown.

Evir it flourischis meikel and hie,
Nae stay, nae hindraunce will it bruik;
In ae nicht sprynging up, a burdlie tree,
Schedding its bale at ae single luik:
Lustilie bourgenis the weid anon,
Till hert hath rottit and lyf hath flown.

It canna be kythit to the gudely sun,
It pynyth sae at his nobil sicht;
It shrinkyth quyte like a thing undone
Quhan luikit on by the blessit licht:
In hert whence heevinlie luve hath gone
Thilke evil weid aye bourgenis on.

Fell Envie's th' plant of mortal pouir
Quhilk flourischis grenelye in the hert --
Raining the slawe and poisonous shouir
Quhilk cankereth the vertuous part:
Black Envie wherever its seed is sawin,
Fashion is a hert like the foul Fiend's awin!



Home: PoetryExplorer.net