Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HE RULETH NOT THROUGH HE RAIGNE OVER REALMES, by THOMAS WYATT



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HE RULETH NOT THROUGH HE RAIGNE OVER REALMES, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage
Last Line: Thy wretched life, ne do thy death profet.
Alternate Author Name(s): Wyat, Thomas
Variant Title(s): Ballade: 6
Subject(s): Death; Fear; Life; Moon; Dead, The


If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage
Of cruel will, and see thou keep thee free
From the foul yoke of sensual bondage;
For though thy empire stretch to Indian sea,
And for thy fear trembleth the farthest Thule,
If thy desire have over thee the power,
Subject then art thou and no governor.

If to be noble and high thy mind be moved,
Consider well thy ground and thy beginning;
For he that hath each star in heaven fixed,
And gives the moon her horns and her eclipsing,
Alike hath made thee noble in his working,
So that wretched no way thou may be,
Except foul lust and vice do conquer thee.

All were it so thou had a flood of gold
Unto thy thirst, yet should it not suffice;
And thou with Indian stones, a thousandfold
More precious than can thyself devise,
Ycharged were thy back, thy covetise
And busy biting yet should never let
Thy wretched life, ne do thy death profet.





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