Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ANGLER'S SONG, by WILLIAM BASSE Poet's Biography First Line: As inward love breeds outward talk Last Line: Whom he to follow him hath chose. Subject(s): Fish & Fishing; Anglers | ||||||||
AS inward love breeds outward talk, The Hound some praise, and some the Hawk; Some, better pleas'd with private sport, Use Tenis; some a Mistris court: But these delights I neither wish, Nor envy, while I freely fish. Who hunts, doth oft in danger ride; Who hauks, lures oft both far & wide; Who uses games, may often prove A loser; but who fals in love, Is fettered in fond Cupids snare: My Angle breeds me no such care. Of Recreation there is none So free as fishing is alone; All other pastimes do no less Then mind and body both possess; My hand alone my work can do, So I can fish and study too. I care not, I, to fish in seas, Fresh rivers best my mind do please, Whose sweet calm course I contemplate, And seek in life to imitate; In civil bounds I fain would keep And for my past offences weep. And when the timerous Trout I wait To take, and he devours my bait, How poor a thing, sometimes I find, Will captivate a greedy mind; And when none bite, I praise the wise Whom vain alurements ne're surprise. But yet, though while I fish I fast; I make good fortune my repast; And thereunto my friend invite, In whom I more then that delight: Who is more welcome to my dish, Then to my Angle was my fish. As well content no prize to take, As use of taken prize to make; For so our Lord was pleased, when He Fishers made Fishers of men; Where (which is in no other game) A man may fish and praise his name. The first men that our Saviour dear Did chuse to wait upon him here, Blest Fishers were; and fish the last Food was, that he on earth did taste: I therefore strive to follow those Whom he to follow him hath chose. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOURNEY INTO THE EYE by DAVID LEHMAN THE GREAT BLACK HERON by DENISE LEVERTOV ISLA MUJERES by WILLIAM MATTHEWS SCHOOLS OF LITTLE FISH by MARVIN BELL TWO PICTURES OF A LEAF by MARVIN BELL OF FISH AND FISHERMEN by JOHN CIARDI ELEGY ON MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE by WILLIAM BASSE A MORNING AFTER MOURNING by WILLIAM BASSE CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 1. TRUE AND CHASTE LOVE by WILLIAM BASSE |
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