Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ASTROPHEL'S SONG OF PHILLIDA AND CORYDON, by NICHOLAS BRETON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Fair in a morn, (o fairest morn!) Last Line: And sunday shall be holiday. Subject(s): Country Life; Shepherds & Shepherdesses | ||||||||
FAIR in a morn, (O fairest morn!) Was never morn so fair, There shone a sun, though not the sun That shineth in the air. For of the earth, and from the earth, (Was never such a creature!) Did come this face (was never face That carried such a feature). Upon a hill, (O blessed hill! Was never hill so blessed!) There stood a man, (was never man For woman so distressed): This man beheld a heavenly view, Which did such virtue give As clears the blind, and helps the lame, And makes the dead man live. This man had hap, (O happy man! More happy none than he;) For he had hap to see the hap That none had hap to see. This silly swain, (and silly swains Are men of meanest grace:) Had yet the grace (O gracious guest!) To hap on such a face. He pity cried, and pity came, And pitied so his pain, As dying, would not let him die, But gave him life again. For joy whereof he made such mirth As all the woods did ring; And Pan with all his swains came forth To hear the shepherd sing; But such a song sung never was, Nor shall be sung again, Of Phillida the shepherds' queen, And Corydon the swain. Fair Phyllis is the shepherds' queen, (Was never such a queen as she!) And Corydon her only swain (Was never such a swain as he!) Fair Phyllis hath the fairest face That ever eye did yet behold, And Corydon the constant'st faith That ever yet kept flock in fold: Sweet Phyllis is the sweetest sweet That ever yet the earth did yield, And Corydon the kindest swain That ever yet kept lambs in field. Sweet Philomel is Phyllis' bird, Though Corydon be he that caught her: And Corydon doth hear her sing, Though Phillida be she that taught her: Poor Corydon doth keep the fields, Though Phillida be she that owes them, And Phillida doth walk the meads, Though Corydon be he that mows them: The little lambs are Phyllis' love, Though Corydon is he that feeds them, The gardens fair are Phyllis' ground, Though Corydon be he that weeds them. Since then that Phyllis only is The only shepherd's only queen; And Corydon the only swain That only hath her shepherd been, -- Though Phyllis keep her bower of state, Shall Corydon consume away? No, shepherd, no, work out the week, And Sunday shall be holiday. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOVING SHEPHERDESS by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE SHEPHERD by ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER BENSON A TIMOROUS SHEPHERD by MORRIS GILBERT BISHOP THE HEART'S RETURN by EDWIN MARKHAM THE SONG OF THE SHEPHERDS by EDWIN MARKHAM THE GREEN SHEPHERD by LOUIS SIMPSON AUTOCHTHONIC TERCET: 2 by CESAR VALLEJO THE STORY THE SHEPHERD TELLS THE SHEEP by LUCILLE CLIFTON THE SHEPHERD, FR. SONGS OF INNOCENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE A SWEET LULLABY by NICHOLAS BRETON PHYLLIDA AND CORYDON by NICHOLAS BRETON THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD: PASTORAL 3. THE HAPPY COUNTRYMAN by NICHOLAS BRETON |
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