Many a glance, too, has been sent From out the eye, love's firmament: Many a jest told of the keys betraying This night, and locks pick'd: yet we're not a-Maying. Come, let us go, while we are in our prime, Our life is short, and our days run So when or you or I are made Lies drowned with us in endless night. Then, while time serves, and we are but decaying, 217 FRANCIS QUARLES [1592-1644] AN ECSTASY E'EN like two little bank-dividing brooks, That wash the pebbles with their wanton streams, E'en so we met; and after long pursuit, No need for either to renew a suit, For I was flax, and He was flames of fire: If all those glittering Monarchs, that command GEORGE HERBERT [1593-1633] 218 219 LOVE LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lacked anything. 'A guest,' I answered, 'worthy to be here:' 'I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, Love took my hand and smiling did reply, 'Who made the eyes but I?' Truth, Lord; but I have marred them: let my shame 'And know you not,' says Love, 'Who bore the blame?' 'You must sit down,' says Love, ' and taste my meat.' So I did sit and eat. VIRTUE SWEET day, so cool, so calm, so bright! The dew shall weep thy fall to-night; 220 Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave And thou must die. Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, Only a sweet and virtuous soul, THE ELIXIR TEACH me, my God and King, Not rudely, as a beast To run into an action; A man that looks on glass On it may stay his eye, Or if he pleaseth, through it pass, And then the heaven espy. All may of Thee partake Nothing can be so mean Which with his tincture, 'for Thy sake,' A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine; Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws. Makes that and the action fine. This is the famous stone That turneth all to gold, For that which God doth touch and own 221 THE COLLAR I STRUCK the board and cried, No more; What, shall I ever sigh and pine? My lines and life are free, free as the road, Shall I be still in suit? Have I no harvest but a thorn To let me blood, and not restore What I have lost with cordial fruit? Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn Is the year only lost to me? No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted? Not so, my heart; but there is fruit, Recover all thy sigh-blown age On double pleasure: leave thy cold dispute Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee And be thy law, While thou didst wink and wouldst not see. Away: take heed, I will abroad. Call in thy death's head there: tie up thy fears. (L) HC XL To suit and serve his need Deserves his load. But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild Methought I heard one calling 'Child!' 222 THE FLOWER How fresh, O Lord, how sweet and clean Like snow in May, As if there were no such cold thing. Who would have thought my shrivell❜d heart All the hard weather, Dead to the world, keep house unknown. These are Thy wonders, Lord of power, We say amiss This or that is; Thy word is all, if we could spell. O that I once past changing were, Fast in thy Paradise where no flower can wither! Off'ring at Heaven, growing and groaning thither; Want a Spring shower, My sins and I joining together. |