Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SONNETS ON ENGLISH DRAMATIC POETS: 4. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER, by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SONNETS ON ENGLISH DRAMATIC POETS: 4. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: An hour ere sudden sunset fired the west
Last Line: Which rings and glitters down the darkling years.
Subject(s): Beaumont, Francis (1584-1616); Dramatists; Fletcher, John (1579-1625); Plays & Playwrights


An hour ere sudden sunset fired the west,
Arose two stars upon the pale deep east.
The hall of heaven was clear for nights' high feast,
Yet was not yet day's fiery heart at rest.
Love leapt up from his mother's burning breast
To see whose warm twin lights, as day decreased,
Wax wider, till when all the sun had ceased
As suns they shone from evening's kindled crest.
Across them and between, a quickening fire,
Flamed Venus, laughing with appeased desire.
Their dawn, scarce lovelier for the gleam of tears,
Filled half the hollow shell 'twixt heaven and earth
With sound like moonlight, mingling moan and mirth,
Which rings and glitters down the darkling years.





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