Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO AELIA; ODE, by CHARLES COTTON


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TO AELIA; ODE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Poor antiquated slut, forbear
Last Line: The penance expiates the sin.
Subject(s): Love - Complaints; Penance


POOR antiquated slut, forbear,
Thy importunity's so strong,
It will, I fear, corrupt the air,
And do an universal wrong.

Be modest, or I swear and vow,
I neither can nor will be kind;
Pox on't! now thou dost clam'rous grow,
There's no enduring in the wind.

Whilst silence did thy thoughts betray,
I only was the sufferer;
But now thy lungs begin to play
All the whole province suffers here.

Faith, AElia, if thou be'st so hot,
That nor satiety, nor age,
Can cool the over-boiling pot,
Nor thy ebullient lust assuage,

Yet be so charitably kind,
Though damn'd thou art resolved to be,
As not to poison all mankind
By fulsome importunity.

But sure 'tis time we should give o'er,
And if I mourn my time misspent,
How much for fifty years of whore
Ought'st thou, poor AElia, to repent?

Yet, if in spite of all advice
Thou needs wilt importune me still,
I am not so reclaim'd from vice,
But I can satisfy thy will:

And 'twill to my advantage be;
For should I new amours begin,
Delight might damn me, when with thee
The penance expiates the sin.





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