Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CAELICA: 101, by FULKE GREVILLE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CAELICA: 101, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Man's youth, it is a field of large desires
Last Line: Yet all within them is but fear and art.
Alternate Author Name(s): Brooke, 1st Baron; Brooke, Lord


Man's youth, it is a field of large desires
Which, pleased within, doth all without them please,
For in this love of men live those sweet fires
That kindle worth and kindness unto praise,
And where self-love most from her selfness gives,
Man greatest in himself and others lives.

Old age again which deems this pleasure vain,
Dulled with experience of unthankfulness,
Scornful of fame as but effects of pain,
Folds up that freedom in her narrowness,
And for it only loves her own dreams best,
Scorned and contemned is of all the rest.

Such working youth there is again in state,
Which at the first with justice, piety,
Fame, and reward, true instruments of fate,
Strive to improve this frail humanity,
By which as kings enlarge true worth in us,
So crowns again are well enlarged thus.

But states grow old when princes turn away
From honor to take pleasure for their ends,
For that a large is, this a narrow way,
That wins a world, and this a few dark friends,
The one improving worthiness spreads far,
Under the other good things prisoners are.

Thus, scepters, shadow-like, grow short or long,
As worthy or unworthy princes reign,
And must contract, cannot be large or strong,
If man's weak humors real powers restrain,
So that when power and nature do oppose,
All but the worst men are assured to lose.

For when respect, which is the strength of states,
Grows to decline by kings' descent within,
That power's baby-creatures dare set rates
Of scorn upon worth, honor upon sin,
Then, though kings, player-like, act glory's part,
Yet all within them is but fear and art.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net