Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A WINTER THOUGHT, by JABEZ EARLE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A WINTER THOUGHT, by                    
First Line: The man whose constitution's strong
Last Line: "does all his damps and darkness clear."
Subject(s): Winter


"The man whose constitution's strong,
And free from vexing cares his mind,
As changing seasons pass along,
Can in them all fresh pleasures find.

Not only in the teeming bud,
The opening leaf, and following bloom,
(Urged by the sap's ascending flood)
And fruit fair knitting in its room,—

Not only when the smiling fields
In all their gaiety appear,
And the perfumes their bosom yields,
On balmy wings the zephyrs bear,—

In morning fair, in evening mild,
The murmuring brook, and cooling shade,
Birds' airy notes in concerts wild,
And Philomela's serenade,—

Not only in the waving ear,
And branches bending with their load,
Or whilst the produce of the year
Is gathering, and in safety stowed.

He, pleased, in days autumnal sees
The shadowy leaf diversified
With various colours, and the trees
Stripped, and stand forth in naked pride.

Each hollow blast, and hasty shower,
The rattling hail, the fleecy snow,
The candied rime, and scattered hoar,
And icicles which downward grow;

The shining pavement of the flood
To which the youthful tribes resort,
And game, which the discovered wood
Exposes to the fowler's sport;

The greens, which wintry blasts defy,
Through native strength, or human care,
In hedge, or close arrangery
All these a source of pleasure are.

The sun which from the northern signs
Scorched with unsufferable heat,
Now in a milder glory shines,
And every glancing ray is sweet.

The silver moon, and each fair star,
Forth to the best advantage shine,
And by the richest scene prepare
For noble thoughts th'enlargèd mind.

He, when the mornings slowest rise,
Can sweetly pass the nights away,
In lucubration with the wise,
Or conversation with the gay.

And when the winter tedious grows,
And lengthening days cold stronger bring,
A new increasing pleasure flows,
From expectation of the spring.

So he whose faculties are sound,
His heart upright and conscience clean,
Agreeably can pass his round
Of life, in every shifting scene.

Not only in his youthful prime,
And whilst his powers continue firm,
But when he feels th'effect of time,
And age prepares him for the worm.

Grateful for every blessing past,
Patient in every present ill;
And on whatever ground he's placed,
Hope does with pleasing prospects fill;

And faith in Heaven's enchanting love
(From whence the Sun will soon appear
Whose smiles make endless Spring above)
Does all his damps and darkness clear."





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