Sweet violets, Love's paradise, that spread Your gracious odors, which you couched bear Within your paly faces, Upon the gentle wing of some calm breathing wind That plays amidst the plain, If by the favor of propitious stars you gain Such grace as in my lady's bosom place to find, Be proud to touch those places; And when her warmth your moisture forth doth wear, Whereby her dainty parts are sweetly fed, Your honors of the flowery meads, I pray, You pretty daughters of the earth and sun, With mild and seemly breathing straight display My bitter sighs, that have my heart undone. Vermilion roses, that with new day's rise Display your crimson folds, fresh-looking, fair, Whose radiant bright disgraces The rich adorned rays of roseate rising morn; Ah! if her virgin's hand Do pluck your pure, ere Phoebus view the land And veil your gracious pomp in lovely Nature's scorn; If chance my mistress traces Fast by your flowers to take the summer's air, Then, woeful blushing, tempt her glorious eyes To spread their tears, Adonis' death reporting, And tell Love's torments, sorrowing for her friend, Whose drops of blood within your leaves consorting, Report fair Venus moans withouten end. Then may remorse, in pitying of my smart, Dry up my tears, and dwell within her heart. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BACON'S EPITAPH, MADE BY HIS MAN by JOHN COTTON (1640-1699) POLWART ON THE GREEN by ALLAN RAMSAY THE PROSPECTOR by ROBERT WILLIAM SERVICE CALIBAN [ON THE ISLAND], FR. THE TEMPEST by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE COCK-CROW by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS THE CLOUDS: SONG [OR CHORUS] OF THE CLOUDS by ARISTOPHANES URANIA; THE WOMAN IN THE MOON: THIS STORY MORALIZED by WILLIAM BASSE |