Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FOR QUEEN MARY'S BIRTHDAY 1691, by THOMAS SHADWELL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FOR QUEEN MARY'S BIRTHDAY 1691, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Welcome, welcome, glorious morn
Last Line: And long preserve the blessings thou hast giv'n.
Subject(s): Birthdays; Courts & Courtiers; Great Britain - Commonwealth & Colonies; Hymns (as Literary Form); Mary Ii, Queen Of England (1662-1694); British Empire; England - Empire


Welcome, welcome, glorious Morn,
Nature smiles at thy return.
At thy return the joyful earth
Renews the blessings of Maria's birth.
The busy sun prolongs his race
The youthful year his earliest tribute pays
And frosts forsake his head and tears his face.
Welcome, welcome, glorious Morn,
Nature smiles at thy return,
For Nature's richest pride with thee was born.
Welcome as when three happy kingdoms strove
In glad confusion to express their love,
When ev'ry heart did ev'ry tongue employ
To speak its share of public joy,
And great Maria's birth proclaim
The noblest theme, the loudest song of fame.

The mighty Goddess of this wealthy isle
Rais'd her glad head, and with an awful smile
She look'd, whilst thousand cupids hover'd round
And thousand graces the fair infant crown'd.
And thousand graces the fair infant crown'd.
Full of wonder and delight
She saw and bless'd the noble sight.
And lo! a sacred fury swell'd her breast,
And the whole God her lab'ring soul possest.
To lofty strains her tuneful lyre she strung
And thus the Goddess play'd and thus she sung.

My pray'rs are heard, Heav'n has at last bestow'd
The mighty blessings which it long has ow'd,
At length the bounteous gods have sent us down
A brightness second only to their own.
I see the round years successively move
To ripen her beauties and crown 'em with love;
A hero renown'd in virtues and arms
Shall wear the soft chain and submit to her charms,
And Hymen and Hebe shall make it their care
To pour all their joys on the valiant and fair.
Then, then, our sad Albion shall suffer no more,
She shall fly to his aid and be freed by his pow'r,
And date all her blessings from this happy hour.

He to the field by honour call'd shall go
And dangers he shall know and wonders he shall do.
The God of arms his godlike son shall bless.
And crown his fleet and armies with success.
Whilst undisturb'd his happy consort reigns
And wisely rules the kingdoms he maintains.
Britain at last shall see her peace restor'd
And pay new vows for her returning lord:
Maria then shall all her cares unbend
And she shall still adorn and he defend.

Sound, all ye spheres; confirm the omen, Heav'n,
And long preserve the blessings thou hast giv'n.





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