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NEVER TOO LATE: THE PALMER'S ODE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Old menalcas, on a day
Last Line: "the way to good is never late."
Subject(s): Courtship; Desire; Man-woman Relationships; Youth; Male-female Relations


OLD Menalcas, on a day,
As in field this shepherd lay,
Tuning of his oaten pipe,
Which he hit with many a stripe,
Said to Coridon that he
Once was young and full of glee.
"Blithe and wanton was I then:
Such desires follow men.
As I lay and kept my sheep,
Came the god that hateth sleep,
Clad in armour all of fire,
Hand in hand with Queen Desire,
And with a dart that wounded nigh
Pierc'd my heart as I did lie;
That, when I woke, I gan swear
Phillis' beauty palm did bear.
Up I start, forth went I,
With her face to feed mine eye:
There I saw Desire sit,
That my heart with love had hit,
Laying forth bright beauty's hooks
To entrap my gazing looks.
Love I did, and gan to woo,
Pray and sigh: all would not do;
Women, when they take the toy,
Covet to be counted coy.
Coy she was, and I gan court;
She thought love was but a sport;
Profound hell was in my thought;
Such a pain desire had wrought,
That I su'd with sighs and tears;
Still ingrate she stopp'd her ears,
Till my youth I had spent.
Last a passion of repent
Told me flat, that desire
Was a brand of love's fire,
Which consumeth men in thrall,
Virtue, youth, wit, and all.
At this saw back I start,
Bet desire from my heart,
Shook off love, and made an oath
To be enemy to both.
Old I was when thus I fled
Such fond toys as cloy'd my head;
But this I learn'd at Virtue's gate,—
The way to good is never late."





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