Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO PHYLLIS [TO LOVE AND LIVE WITH HIM], by ROBERT HERRICK Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Live, live with me, and thou shalt see Last Line: If thou wilt love, and live with me. Variant Title(s): The Fairies;to Phillis Subject(s): Courtship; Love | ||||||||
Live, live with me, and thou shalt see The pleasures Ile prepare for thee: What sweets the Country can afford Shall blesse thy Bed, and blesse thy Board. The soft sweet Mosse shall be thy bed, With crawling Woodbine over-spread: By which the silver-shedding streames Shall gently melt thee into dreames. Thy clothing next, shall be a Gowne Made of the Fleeces purest Downe. The tongues of Kids shall be thy meate; Their Milke thy drinke; and thou shalt eate The Paste of Filberts for thy bread With Cream of Cowslips buttered: Thy Feasting-Tables shall be Hills With Daisies spread, and Daffadils; Where thou shalt sit, and Red-brest by, For meat, shall give thee melody. Ile give thee Chaines and Carkanets Of Primroses and Violets. A Bag and Bottle thou shalt have; That richly wrought, and This as brave; So that as either shall expresse The Wearer's no meane Shepheardesse. At Sheering-times, and yearely Wakes, When Themilis his pastime makes, There thou shalt be; and be the wit, Nay more, the Feast, and grace of it. On Holy-dayes, when Virgins meet To dance the Heyes with nimble feet; Thou shalt come forth, and then appeare The Queen of Roses for that yeere. And having danc't ('bove all the best) Carry the Garland from the rest. In Wicker-baskets Maids shal bring To thee, (my dearest Shepharling) The blushing Apple, bashfull Peare, And shame-fac't Plum, (all simp'ring there). Walk in the Groves, and thou shalt find The name of Phillis in the Rind Of every straight, and smooth-skin tree; Where kissing that, Ile twice kisse thee. To thee a Sheep-hook I will send, Be-pranckt with Ribbands, to this end, This, this alluring Hook might be Lesse for to catch a sheep, then me. Thou shalt have Possets, Wassails fine, Not made of Ale, but spiced Wine; To make thy Maids and selfe free mirth, All sitting neer the glitt'ring Hearth. Thou sha't have Ribbands, Roses, Rings, Gloves, Garters, Stockings, Shooes, and Strings Of winning Colours, that shall move Others to Lust, but me to Love. These (nay) and more, thine own shal be, If thou wilt love, and live with me. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SUNG TO THE KING IN THE PRESENCE AT WHITEHALL by ROBERT HERRICK A MEDITATION FOR HIS MISTRESS by ROBERT HERRICK A TERNARIE OF LITTLES, UPON A PIPKIN OF JELLIE by ROBERT HERRICK |
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