Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FRAILTY AND HURTFULNESS OF BEAUTY, by HENRY HOWARD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FRAILTY AND HURTFULNESS OF BEAUTY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Brittle beauty that nature made so frail
Last Line: Today ready ripe, tomorrow all too shaken.
Alternate Author Name(s): Surrey, Earl Of
Subject(s): Love


Brittle beauty that nature made so frail,
Whereof the gift is small, and short the season,
Flow'ring today, tomorrow apt to fail,
Tickle treasure, abhorred of reason,
Dangerous to deal with, vain, of none avail,
Costly in keeping, passed not worth two peason,
Slippery in sliding as an eeles tail,
Hard to attain, once gotten not geason,
Jewel of jeopardy that peril doth assail,
False and untrue, enticed oft to treason,
Enemy to youth (that most may I bewail!),
Ah, bitter sweet! infecting as the poison,
Thou farest as fruit that with the frost is taken:
Today ready ripe, tomorrow all too shaken.






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