Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TWO SONGS FOR AN ACCESSION DAY TILE: 1, by PHILIP SIDNEY


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TWO SONGS FOR AN ACCESSION DAY TILE: 1, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Philisides, the shepherd good and true
Last Line: That who runs best is fortuned once to miss.


Philisides, the shepherd good and true,
Came by Menalcas' house, the husbandman,
With songs of love, and praise of Mira's hue,
Whose fair sweet looks make him look pale and wan.
It early was; Menalcas forth was bound
With horse and man, to sow and till the ground.

'Menalcas', soft this shepherd to him says,
'Wilt thou with work this holy time defile?
This is the chief of Cupid's Sabbath days,
The wake of those that honour Samos' isle,
Where great and small, rich, poor, and each degree
Yield faith, love, joy, and prove what in them be.'

Menalcas, who of long his thoughts had tilled
With fancy's plough, that they might pleasure bear,
And with his love the empty furrows filled
Which always sprang to him again in fear,
Was well content the plough and all to yield
Unto this Sabbath day, and sacred field.

And on is past by course amongst the rest
With lays of joy, and lyrics all of praise,
His heart as theirs in service of the best;
For other saints, he knoweth not their days.
If any joust, his whip must be his spear,
And of his team, the till horse must him bear.

When he runs well, then well to her betide;
When ill, then ill a plain faith is expressed;
If neither well nor ill light on his side
His course is yet rewarded with the best:
For of all runners this the fortune is
That who runs best is fortuned once to miss.





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