Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO MR. T.W. [THOMAS WOODWARD] (1), by JOHN DONNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: All haile sweet poet, more full of more strong fire Last Line: All the worlds lyon, though I be thy ape. | ||||||||
All haile sweet Poet, more full of more strong fire, Then hath or shall enkindle any spirit, I lov'd what nature gave thee, but this merit Of wit and Art I love not but admire; Who have before or shall write after thee, Their workes, though toughly laboured, will bee Like infancie or age to mans firme stay, Or earely and late twilights to mid-day. Men say, and truly, that they better be Which be envyed then pittied: therefore I, Because I wish thee best, doe thee envie: O wouldst thou, by like reason, pitty mee! But care not for mee: I, that ever was In Natures, and in Fortunes gifts, (alas, Before thy grace got in the Muses Schoole) A monster and a begger, am now a foole. Oh how I grieve, that late borne modesty Hath got such root in easie waxen hearts, That men may not themselves, their owne good parts Extoll, without suspect of surquedrie, For, but thy selfe, no subject can be found Worthy thy quill, nor any quill resound Thy worth but thine: how good it were to see A Poem in thy praise, and writ by thee. Now if this song be too'harsh for rime, yet, as The Painters bad god made a good devill, 'Twill be good prose, although the verse be evill, If thou forget the rime as thou dost passe. Then write, that I may follow, and so bee Thy debter, thy'eccho, thy foyle, thy zanee. I shall be thought, if mine like thine I shape, All the worlds Lyon, though I be thy Ape. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A HYMN TO CHRIST, AT THE AUTHOR'S LAST GOING INTO GERMANY by JOHN DONNE A HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER by JOHN DONNE A LECTURE UPON THE SHADOW by JOHN DONNE A NOCTURNAL UPON ST. LUCY'S DAY, BEING THE SHORTEST DAY by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: FORBIDDING MOURNING by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: OF MY NAME IN THE WINDOW by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: OF THE BOOKE by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: OF WEEPING by JOHN DONNE AN ANATOMY OF THE WORLD: THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY by JOHN DONNE ELEGY: 11. THE BRACELET; UPON THE LOSS OF HIS MISTRESS'S CHAIN by JOHN DONNE |
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