Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THYRSIS AND DORINDA, by ANDREW MARVELL



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THYRSIS AND DORINDA, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: When death shall part [or, snatch] us from these kids
Last Line: So shall we smoothly pass away in sleep.
Subject(s): Country Life


Dorinda
When Death, shall snatch us from these Kids,
And shut up our divided Lids,
Tell me Thyrsis, prethee do,
Whither thou and I must go.
Thyrsis
To the Elizium: (Dorinda) oh where i'st?
Thyrsis
A Chast Soul, can never mis't.
Dorinda
I know no way, but one, our home
Is our Elizium?
Thyrsis
Cast thine Eye to yonder Skie,
There the milky way doth lye;
'Tis a sure but rugged way,
That leads to Everlasting day.
Dorinda
There Birds may nest, but how can I,
That have no wings and cannot fly.
Thyrsis
Do not sigh (fair Nimph) for fire
Hath no wings, yet doth aspire
Till it hit, against the pole,
Heaven's the Center of the Soul.
Dorinda
But in Elizium how do they
Pass Eternity away.
Thyrsis
Ho, ther's, neither hope nor fear
Ther's no Wolf, no Fox, no Bear.
No need of Dog to fetch our stray,
Our Lightfoot we may give away;
And there most sweetly thine Ear
May feast with Musick of the Sphear.
How I my future state
By silent thinking, Antidate:
I preethe let us spend, our time come,
In talking of Elizium.
Thyrsis
Then I'le go on: There, sheep are full
Of softest grass, and softest wooll;
There, birds sing Consorts, garlands grow,
Cold winds do whisper,springs do flow.
There, alwayes is, a rising Sun,
And day is ever, but begun.
Shepheards there, bear equal sway,
And every Nimph's a Queen of May.
Dorinda
Ah me, ah me.
Thyrsis
Dorinda, why do'st Cry?
Dorinda
I'm sick, I'm sick, and fain would dye:
Convinc't me now, that this is true,
By bidding, with mee, all adieu
I cannot live, without thee, I
Will for thee,much more with thee dye.
Dorinda
Then let us give Corellia charge o'th Sheep,
And thou and I'le pick poppies and them steep
In wine, and drink on't even till we weep,
So shall we smoothly pass away in sleep.





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