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THE PROPHET, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Teach me to love? Go teach thy self more wit
Last Line: Hereafter fame, here martyrdome.


1.

TEach me to Love? go teach thy self more witt;
I chief Professor am of it.
Teach Craft to Scots, and Thrift to Jews,
Teach Boldness to the Stews;
In Tyrants' Courts teach supple Flattery:
Teach Sophisters and Jesuites to lye.
Teach fire to burn, and winds to blow,
Teach restlesse fountains how to flow,
Teach the dull earth, fixt to abide,
Teach Women-kind Inconstancy and Pride.
See if your diligence here will usefull prove;
But, neither, teach not me to Love.

2.

The God of Love, if such a thing there be,
May learn to love from Mee.
He who does boast that he has bin
In every Heart since Adam's sinne,
I'le lay my Life, nay Mistress on't, that's more,
I'le teach him things he never knew before;
I'll teach him a Receipt to make
Tears, which shall understand, and speak,
I'll teach him Sighes, like those in Death,
At which the Soule goes out too with the breath:
Still the Soule stayes, yet still does from me runne,
As light and heat does with the Sun.

3.

'Tis I who Love's Columbus am; 'tis I,
Who must new Worlds in it descry:
Rich Worlds, that yield of Treasure more,
Then all that has been known before.
And yet like his (I fear) my Fate must be,
To find them out for others, not for Me.
Mee times to come, I know it, shall
Love's last and greatest Prophet call.
But, ah, what's that, if she refuse
To hear the wholsome Doctrines of my Muse?
If to my share the Prophet's Fate must come;
Hereafter Fame, here Martyrdome.





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