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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
APOLOGIE FOR THE HYMNE IN MEMORY OF LADY MADRE DE TERESA (2), by RICHARD CRASHAW Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Thus have I back again to thy bright name Last Line: May drink it self up, and forget to dy. Variant Title(s): An Apologie For The Fore-goving Hymne Subject(s): Teresa, Saint (1515-1582); Teresa Of Jesus, Saint; Teresa Of Avila, Saint; Theresa, Saint | |||
Thus have I back again to thy bright name (Fair floud of holy fires!) transfus'd the flame I took from reading thee; tis to thy wrong I know, that in my weak and worthlesse song Thou here art sett to shine where thy full day Scarse dawnes. O pardon if I dare to say Thine own dear bookes are guilty. For from thence I learn't to know that love is eloquence. That hopefull maxime gave me hart to try If, what to other tongues is tun'd so high, Thy praise might not speak English too; forbid (By all thy mysteryes that here ly hidde) Forbid it, mighty Love! let no fond Hate Of names and wordes, so farr praejudicate. Souls are not SPANIARDS too, one friendly floud Of BAPTISM blends them all into a blood. CHRIST'S faith makes but one body of all soules And love's that body's soul, no law controwlls Our free traffique for heav'n, we may maintaine Peace, sure, with piety, though it come from SPAIN. What soul so e're, in any language, can Speak heav'n like her's is my souls country-man. O 'tis not spanish, but 'tis heav'n she speaks! 'Tis heav'n that lyes in ambush there, and breaks From thence into the wondring reader's brest; Who feels his warm HEART hatch'd into a nest Of little EAGLES and young loves, whose high Flights scorn the lazy dust, and things that dy. There are enow, whose draughts (as deep as hell) Drink up al SPAIN in sack. Let my soul swell With thee, strong wine of love! let others swimme In puddles; we will pledge this SERAPHIM Bowles full of richer blood then blush of grape Was ever guilty of, Change we too 'our shape (My soul,) Some drink from men to beasts, o then Drink we till we prove more, not lesse, then men, And turn not beasts, but Angels. Let the king Me ever into these his cellars bring Where flowes such wine as we can have of none But HIM who trod the wine-presse all alone: Wine of youth, life, and the sweet Deaths of love; Wine of immortall mixture; which can prove It's Tincture from the rosy nectar; wine That can exalt weak EARTH; and so refine Our dust, that at one draught, mortality May drink it self up, and forget to dy. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A HYMN [TO THE NAME AND] IN HONOR OF SAINT TERESA by RICHARD CRASHAW THE FLAMING HEART by RICHARD CRASHAW ST. THERESA AND THE CHILD by JOHN BANISTER TABB SAINTE CHAPELLE by NELLIE HURLBURT WHITNEY A HYMN [TO THE NAME AND] IN HONOR OF SAINT TERESA by RICHARD CRASHAW A SONG [OF DIVINE LOVE] by RICHARD CRASHAW AN EPITAPH UPON HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO DIED AND WERE BURIED by RICHARD CRASHAW CHARITAS NIMIA; OR THE DEAR BARGAIN by RICHARD CRASHAW IN THE HOLY NATIVITY [OF OUR LORD GOD]; AS SUNG BY SHEPHERDS by RICHARD CRASHAW ON GEORGE HERBERT'S BOOK, THE TEMPLE, SENT TO A GENTLEWOMAN by RICHARD CRASHAW |
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