Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PINDARIC ODE: LIFE AND FAME, by ABRAHAM COWLEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Oh life, thou nothing's younger brother! Last Line: For all old homer's life e'er since he dy'd 'till now. Subject(s): Fame; Life; Reputation | ||||||||
1. OH Life, thou Nothing's younger Brother! So like, that one might take one for the other! What's Some Body, or No Body? In all the Cobwebs of the Schoolmen's Trade, We no such nice Distinction woven see, As 'tis To be, or Not to be. Dream of a Shadow! a Reflection made From the false Glories of the gay reflected Bow, Is a more solid thing than thou. Vain weak-built Isthmus, which dost proudly rise Up betwixt two Eternities; Yet canst nor Wave nor Wind sustain, But broken and o'erwhelm'd, the endless Oceans meet again. 2. And with what rare Inventions do we strive, Our selves then to survive? Wise, subtle Arts, and such as well befit That Nothing, Man's no Wit. Some with vast costly Tombs would purchase it, And by the Proofs of Death pretend to Live. Here lies the Great ------ False Marble, where? Nothing but small, and sordid Dust lyes there. Some build enormous Mountain-Palaces, The Fools and Architects to please: A lasting Life in well-hew'n Stone they rear: So he who on th' Egyptian Shore, Was slain so many hundred Years before, Lives still (Oh Life most happy and most dear! Oh Life that Epicures envy to hear!) Lives in the dropping Ruins of his Amphitheater. 3. His Father-in-Law an higher Place does claim In the Seraphique Entity of Fame. He since that Toy his Death, Does fill all Mouths, and breathes in all men's Breath. 'Tis true, the two Immortal Syllables remain, But, oh ye learned Men, explain, What Essence, what Existence this, What Substance, what Subsistence, what Hypostasis In Six poor Letters is? In those alone does the Great Coesar live, 'Tis all the Conquered World could give. We Poets madder yet than all, With a refin'd Phantastick Vanity, Think we not only Have, but Give Eternity. Fain would I see that Prodigal, Who his To-morrow would bestow, For all old Homer's Life e'er since he dy'd 'till now. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THEM AND US by LUCILLE CLIFTON A MAN TO A WOMAN by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS DEATH AND FAME by ALLEN GINSBERG EARTH'S IMMORTALITIES: FAME by ROBERT BROWNING STANZAS WRITTEN ON THE ROAD BETWEEN FLORENCE AND PISA by GEORGE GORDON BYRON PROVIDE, PROVIDE by ROBERT FROST |
|