Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO A MISTRESS DYING, by WILLIAM DAVENANT Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Your beauty, ripe and calm and fresh Last Line: It is not safe to know. Alternate Author Name(s): D'avenant, William Variant Title(s): The Philosopher And The Lover To A Mistress Dying Subject(s): Death; Dead, The | ||||||||
Lover. YOUR beauty, ripe and calm and fresh As eastern summers are, Must now, forsaking time and flesh, Add light to some small star. Philosopher. Whilst she yet lives, were stars decay'd, Their light by hers relief might find; But Death will lead her to a shade Where Love is cold and Beauty blind. Lover. Lovers, whose priests all poets are, Think every mistress, when she dies, Is changed at least into a star: And who dares doubt the poets wise? Philosopher. But ask not bodies doom'd to die To what abode they go; Since Knowledge is but Sorrow's spy, It is not safe to know. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND MADAGASCAR: AUBADE by WILLIAM DAVENANT THE SOLDIER GOING TO THE FIELD by WILLIAM DAVENANT FOR THE LADY OLIVIA PORTER; A PRESENT UPON NEW YEARS DAY by WILLIAM DAVENANT |
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