Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 9. HER MAN DESCRIBED ... DICTAMEN, by BEN JONSON



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 9. HER MAN DESCRIBED ... DICTAMEN, by                 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.






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