Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO MY DEAR AND MOST WORTHY FRIEND, MR. IZAAK WALTON, by CHARLES COTTON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Whilst in this cold and blust'ring clime Last Line: You make all this a flatt'ring dream. Variant Title(s): Invitation To Izaak Walton Subject(s): Guests; Walton, Izaak (1593-1683); Visiting | ||||||||
WHILST in this cold and blust'ring clime, Where bleak winds howl, and tempests roar, We pass away the roughest time Has been of many years before; Whilst from the most tempest'ous nooks The chillest blasts our peace invade, And by great rains our smallest brooks Are almost navigable made; Whilst all the ills are so improv'd Of this dead quarter of the year, That even you, so much belov'd, We would not now wish with us here; In this estate, I say, it is Some comfort to us to suppose, That in a better clime than this You our dear Friend have more repose; And some delight to me the while, Though nature now does weep in rain, To think that I have seen her smile, And haply may I do again. If the all-ruling Power please We live to see another May, We'll recompense an age of these Foul days in one fine fishing day: We then shall have a day or two, Perhaps a week, wherein to try, What the best Master's hand can do With the most deadly killing fly; A day without too bright a beam, A warm, but not a scorching sun, A southern gale to curl the stream, And (Master) half our work is done. There whilst behind some bush we wait The scaly people to betray, We'll prove it just with treach'rous bait To make the preying trout our prey; And think ourselves in such an hour Happier than those, though not so high, Who, like Leviathans, devour Of meaner men the smaller fry. This (my best Friend) at my poor home Shall be our pastime and our theme, But then should you not deign to come You make all this a flatt'ring dream. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LEDA 2: A NOTE ON VISITATIONS by LUCILLE CLIFTON HELSINKI, 1940 by ANSELM HOLLO THE LOW BLACK SQUARE by ANSELM HOLLO AMUSING OUR DAUGHTERS by CAROLYN KIZER POET AND PERSON by DENISE LEVERTOV AFTER THE GUEST; FOR MY BROTHER by GREGORY ORR AN EPITAPH ON M.H. by CHARLES COTTON LAURA SLEEPING; ODE by CHARLES COTTON RESOLUTION OF A POETICAL QUESTION CONCERNING FOUR RURAL SISTERS: 2 by CHARLES COTTON |
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