Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A PLATONIC ELEGY, by THOMAS RANDOLPH Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Love, give me leave to serve thee, and be wise Last Line: All other love is to your sex, not you. Subject(s): Love | ||||||||
LOVE, give me leave to serve thee, and be wise To keep thy torch in, but restore blind eyes. I will a flame into my bosom take, That martyrs court when they embrace the stake; Not dull and smoky fires, but heat divine, That burns not to consume, but to refine. I have a mistress, for perfections rare In every eye, but in my thoughts most fair. Like tapers on the altar shine her eyes; Her breath is the perfume of sacrifice. And wheresoe'er my fancy would begin, Still her perfection lets religion in. I touch her, like my beads, with devout care, And come unto my courtship as my prayer. We sit and talk, and kiss away the hours As chastely as the morning dews kiss flowers. Go, wanton lover, spare thy sighs and tears; Put on the livery which thy dotage wears, And call it love. Where heresy gets in, Zeal's but a coal to kindle greater sin. We wear no flesh, but one another greet, As blessed souls in separation meet, Were't possible that my ambitious sin Durst commit rapes upon a cherubin, I might have lustful thoughts to her, of all Earth's heavenly choir the most angelical. Looking into my breast, her form I find, That like my guardian angel keeps my mind From rude attempts; and when affections stir, I calm all passions with one thought of her. Thus they, whose reasons love, and not their sense, The spirits love: thus one intelligence Reflects upon his like, and by chaste loves In the same sphere this and that angel moves. Nor is this barren love; one noble thought Begets another, and that still is brought To bed of more; virtues and grace increase, And such a numerous issue ne'er can cease, Where children, though great blessings, only be Pleasures repriev'd to some posterity. Beasts love like men, if men in lust delight, And call that love which is but appetite. When essence meets with essence, and souls join In mutual knots, that's the true nuptial twine. Such, lady, is my love, and such is true: All other love is to your sex, not you. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD FAIRIES' SONG by THOMAS RANDOLPH ODE TO MASTER ANTHONY STAFFORD [TO HASTEN HIM INTO COUNTRY] by THOMAS RANDOLPH |
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