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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FAREWELL TO ARMS, by GEORGE PEELE Poet's Biography First Line: His golden locks time hath to silver turned Last Line: To be your beadsman now that was your knight. Variant Title(s): The Aged-man At Arms;the Old Knight;an Old Soldier;youth's Waning;polyhmnia: Sonnet;farewell To Arms (to Queen Elizabeth) Subject(s): Aging; Elizabeth I, Queen Of England (1533-1603; Lee, Sir Henry (1532-1611); Loyalty; Old Age; Retirement; Time | |||
His golden locks time hath to silver turned; O time too swift, O swiftness never ceasing! His youth 'gainst time and age hath ever spurned, But spurned in vain; youth waneth by increasing. Beauty, strength, youth are flowers but fading seen; Duty, faith, love are roots, and ever green. His helmet now shall make a hive for bees, And, lovers' sonnets turned to holy psalms, A man-at-arms must now serve on his knees, And feed on prayers, which are age his alms: But though from court to cottage he depart, His saint is sure of his unspotted heart. And when he saddest sits in homely cell, He'll teach his swains this carol for a song -- "Blest be the hearts that wish my sovereign well, Curst be the souls that think her any wrong." Goddess, allow this aged man his right, To be your beadsman now that was your knight. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ELEVEN EYES: FINAL SECTION by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: COME OCTOBER by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: HOME by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: TIME IS FILLED by LYN HEJINIAN SLOWLY: I FREQUENTLY SLOWLY WISH by LYN HEJINIAN ALL THE DIFFICULT HOURS AND MINUTES by JANE HIRSHFIELD A DAY IS VAST by JANE HIRSHFIELD FROM THIS HEIGHT by TONY HOAGLAND A FAREWELL TO SIR JOHN NORRIS AND SIR FRANCIS DRAKE by GEORGE PEELE A MERRY BALLAD OF THE HAWTHORN TREE by GEORGE PEELE A WARNING-PIECE TO ENGLAND AGAINST PRIDE AND WICKEDNESS by GEORGE PEELE |
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