Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BALLAD TO A FRENCH TUNE (2), by PATRICK CAREY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BALLAD TO A FRENCH TUNE (2), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A griev'd countess, that ere long
Last Line: Since I'm dark, would all were night!'
Subject(s): Aristocracy; Astrology & Astrologers


I

A GRIEV'D Countess, that ere long
Must leave off her sweet-nois'd title;
A griev'd Countess, that ere long
'Mongst the crowd for place may throng;
In her hand that patent holding
Which perforce she must bring in,
Oft with moist eyes it beholding,
Her complaint thus did begin.

II

'Cruel monsters! do you know
What a massacre y'have voted?
Cruel monsters! do you know
Th' harm you'll cause at one sad blow?
Dukes, earls, marquises, how many!
'Las! how many a lord and knight,
Without pity shown to any,
You'll cut off through bloody spight!

III

Fond astrologers, away!
You that talk o' th' sun's thick darkness;
Fond astrologers, away!
Y'are mistaken in the day.
Sure you calculate not duly,
Th' ephemerides else skips;
On the twenty-fifth more truly
Y'ought to place the great eclipse.

IV

Our dear-purchas'd honours then
Will by foggy mists be clouded;
Our dear-purchas'd honours then
Will (alas!) ne'er shine again.
All my hopes are, that those vapours
Which extinguish now our light,
Will put out too th' ancient tapers;
Since I'm dark, would all were night!'





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