Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO FRIEND AND SCHOOL-FELLOW ABRAHAM COWLEY ON BLOSSOMES, by BEN MASTERS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO FRIEND AND SCHOOL-FELLOW ABRAHAM COWLEY ON BLOSSOMES, by                    
First Line: Nature we say decays, because our age
Last Line: That it is nature faileth, and not we.
Subject(s): Cowley, Abraham (1618-1667)


Nature we say decays, because our Age
Is worse then were the Times of old: The Stage
And Histories the former Times declare:
In these our latter Days what defects are
Experience teacheth. What then? Shall we blame
Narure for this? No so; let us declaim
Rather against our Selves: 'tis we decay
Not She: She is the same every way
She was at first. Cowley, thou prov'st this truth.
Could ever former Age brag of a Youth
So forward at these years? Could Naso write
Thus young such witty Poems? Tulli's mite
Of Eloquence, at this Age was not seen.
Nor yet was Cato's Judgement, at Thirteen
So great as thine. Suppose it were so; yet
He Cicero's Eloquence, Tully the Wit
Of Ovid wanted: Ovid too came far
In Judgement behind Cato. Therefore are
None of all equal unto Thee, so pretty,
So Eloquent, Judicious, and Witty.
Let the world's spring time but produce and show
Such Blossomes as thy Writings are, and know
Then (not till then) shall my opnion be
That it is Nature faileth, and not we.




Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net