Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A BESTIARY: THE PANTHER, by ANONYMOUS First Line: "the panther, a wild beast is he" Last Line: To him who doth love god's law Subject(s): Panthers | ||||||||
THE Panther, a wild beast is he, On earth is none fairer to see, For black is his hue, I wot, Marked over with many a spot, Round as a wheel, and white, That becometh him well to sight. And where'er he his life doth lead He on other beasts doth feed; He taketh the best at will And eats of the meat his fill, Then still in his lair he keeps, And for three days long he sleeps, Then, when the third day is o'er, He doth rise, and will loudly roar; From his throat there cometh a scent, With his voice it abroad is sent, That balsam doth far exceed In sweetness, (so runneth my rede,) Or all things of perfume fair Whether moist or dry they were. For the sweetness his breath hath stored, Whenever he walks abroad, Wherever he wander, or stay, The beasts, they draw near alway, And follow him up on the wold For the sweetness whereof I have told; Save the Dragon, that stirs not out While the Panther, he roams about, But stays in his lair that stead As if he for fright were dead. Significatio Now this beast of which I have told For a token of Christ I hold, Fairer is He than men, As a star is fairer than fen; And He showed man His love full well When He won him by Holy spell, And lay alone in a hole When for us He would share Death's dole. Three days did He lie alone, Dead in blood, and in flesh, and bone, Then He rose up, and cried, I wis, Of Hell's torment, and Heaven's Bliss, And rising to Heaven's fair host Dwells with Father, and Holy Ghost. With man left He so sweet a smell, 'T is the lore of His Holy Spell, Whereby we may follow His way, With the Godhead abide for aye. And the Dragon, our foe is he; Where the sound of God's word shall be He stirs not, nor nigh may draw To him who doth love God's law. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BLACK PANTHER by JOHN HALL WHEELOCK THE BLACK PANTHER by CHARLES MARIE RENE LECONTE DE LISLE THER PANTHER FROM ITS DARK AND HIDDEN LAIR by WILLIAM JAY SMITH FABLES FOR THE LADIES: THE PANTHER, HORSE, AND OTHER BEASTS by EDWARD MOORE (1712-1757) AMORETTI: 53 by EDMUND SPENSER TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS |
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