Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MUSICAL STRIFE; IN A PASTORAL DIALOGUE, by BEN JONSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Come, with our voices, let us war Last Line: May wish us of their choir. | ||||||||
(SHE) Come with our voices, let us war, And challenge all the spheres, Till each of us be made a star, And all the world turn ears. (HE) At such a call, what beast or fowl, Of reason empty is? What tree or stone doth want a soul? What man but must lose his? (SHE) Mix then your notes, that we may prove To stay the running floods, To make the mountain quarries move, And call the walking woods! (HE) What need of me? Do you but sing, Sleep, and the grave will wake. No tunes are sweet, nor words have sting, But what those lips do make. (SHE) They say the angels mark each deed, And exercise below, And out of inward pleasure feed On what they viewing know. (HE) O sing not you then, lest the best Of angels should be driven To fall again; at such a feast, Mistaking earth for heaven. (SHE) Nay, rather both our souls be strained To meet their high desire; So they in state of grace retained, May wish us of their choir. | 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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