Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 9. HER MAN DESCRIBED ... DICTAMEN, by BEN JONSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Of your trouble, ben, to ease me Last Line: I can rest me where I am. Variant Title(s): A Proper Man | ||||||||
Of your Trouble, Ben, to ease me, I will tell what Man would please me. I would have him if I could, Noble; or of greater Blood: Titles, I confesse, doe take me; And a woman God did make me, French to boote, at least in fashion, And his Manners of that Nation. Young Il'd have him to, and faire, Yet a man; with crisped haire Cast in thousand snares, and rings For Loves fingers, and his wings: Chestnut colour, or more slack Gold, upon a ground of black. Venus, and Minerva's eyes For he must looke wanton-wise. Eye-brows bent like Cupids bow, Front, an ample field of snow; Even nose, and cheeke (withall) Smooth as is the Billiard Ball: Chin, as woolly as the Peach; And his lip should kissing teach, Till he cherish'd too much beard, And make Love or me afeard. He would have a hand as soft As the Downe, and shew it oft; Skin as smooth as any rush, And so thin to see a blush Rising through it e're it came; All his blood should be a flame Quickly fir'd as in beginners In loves schoole, and yet no sinners. 'Twere to long to speake of all, What we harmonie doe call In a body should be there. Well he should his clothes to weare; Yet no Taylor help to make him; Drest, you still for man should take him; And not thinke h'had eat a stake, Or were set up in a Brake. Valiant he should be as fire, Shewing danger more than ire; Bounteous as the clouds to earth; And as honest as his Birth. All his actions to be such, As to doe nothing too much: Nor o're-praise, nor yet condemne; Nor out-valew, nor contemne; Nor doe wrongs, nor wrongs receave; Nor tie knots, nor knots unweave; And from baseness to be free, As he durst love Truth and me. Such a man, with every part, I could give my very heart; But of one, if short he came, I can rest me where I am. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 4. HER TRIUMPH by BEN JONSON A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 5. HIS DISCOURSE WITH CUPID by BEN JONSON A FIT OF RHYME AGAINST RHYME [OR, RIME] by BEN JONSON A NYMPH'S PASSION by BEN JONSON A SONNET, TO THE NOBLE LADY, THE LADY MARY WROTH by BEN JONSON AN ODE TO HIMSELF by BEN JONSON ANSWER TO MASTER WITHER'S SONG, 'SHALL I, WASTING IN DESPAIR?' by BEN JONSON EPICOENE; OR, THE SILENT WOMAN: FREEDOM IN DRESS by BEN JONSON EPIGRAM: 118. ON GUT by BEN JONSON |
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