'Tis his one hope: all else that round his life So fairly circles, scarce he numbers now. The pride of name, a lot with blessings rife, Determined friends, great gifts that him endow, Are shrunk to nothing in a woman's smile. Counsel, reproof, entreaty, all are lost Like windy waters which their strength exhaust, And leave no impress; worldly lips revile With sneer and stinging gibe, but idly by, Unfelt, unheard, the impatient arrows fly: Careless, he joins a parasitic train, Fops, fools and flatterers whom her arts enchain, Nor counts aught base that may to her pertain. Immersed in love, or what he deems is such, The present exigence he looks to please, Nor seeks beyond, but only strives to clutch That which will goad his heart but ne'er can ease: As the drenched sailor, wrecked in Indian seas, To some low reef of wounding coral clings Mid slav'ry weed and drift and ocean scurf; Yet heedeth not companionship of these, But strains his quivering grasp and stoutly swings, Despite of lifting swell and flinging surf. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 8 by THOMAS CAMPION HIS CONTENT IN THE COUNTRY by ROBERT HERRICK AMORETTI: 65 by EDMUND SPENSER THE WILD SWANS AT COOLE by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 3. THE VOLUNTARY PRISONER by PHILIP AYRES RECOLLECTIONS by BERNARD BARTON |