A Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert HerrickHerrick, Robert
General
A Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick
Herrick, Robert
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
Drink wine, and live here blitheful while ye may;
The morrow's life too late is; Live to-day.
162. TO ENJOY THE TIME
While fates permit us, let's be merry;
Pass all we must the fatal ferry;
And this our life, too, whirls away,
With the rotation of the day.
163. FELICITY QUICK OF FLIGHT
Every time seems short to be
That's measured by felicity;
But one half-hour that's made up here
With grief, seems longer than a year.
164. MIRTH
True mirth resides not in the smiling skin;
The sweetest solace is to act no sin.
165. THE HEART
In prayer the lips ne'er act the winning part
Without the sweet concurrence of the heart.
166. LOVE, WHAT IT IS
Love is a circle, that doth restless move
In the same sweet eternity of Love.
167. DREAMS
Here we are all, by day; by night we're hurl'd
By dreams, each one into a several world.
168. AMBITION
In man, ambition is the common'st thing;
Each one by nature loves to be a king.
169. SAFETY ON THE SHORE
What though the sea be calm? Trust to the shore;
Ships have been drown'd, where late they danced before.
170. UPON A PAINTED GENTLEWOMAN
Men say you're fair; and fair ye are, 'tis true;
But, hark! we praise the painter now, not you.
171. UPON WRINKLES
Wrinkles no more are, or no less,
Than beauty turn'd to sourness.
172. CASUALTIES
Good things, that come of course, far less do please
Than those which come by sweet contingencies.
173. TO LIVE FREELY
Let's live in haste; use pleasures while we may;
Could life return, 'twould never lose a day.
174. NOTHING FREE-COST
Nothing comes free-cost here; Jove will not let
His gifts go from him, if not bought with sweat.
175. MAN'S DYING-PLACE UNCERTAIN
Man knows where first he ships himself; but he
Never can tell where shall his landing be.
176. LOSS FROM THE LEAST
Great men by small means oft are overthrown;
He's lord of thy life, who contemns his own.
177. POVERTY AND RICHES
Who with a little cannot be content,
Endures an everlasting punishment.
178. UPON MAN
Man is composed here of a twofold part;
The first of nature, and the next of art;
Art presupposes nature; nature, she
Prepares the way for man's docility.
179. PURPOSES
No wrath of men, or rage of seas,
Can shake a just man's purposes;
No threats of tyrants, or the grim
Visage of them can alter him;
But what he doth at first intend,
That he holds firmly to the end.
180. FOUR THINGS MAKE US HAPPY HERE
Health is the first good lent to men;
A gentle disposition then:
Next, to be rich by no by-ways;
Lastly, with friends t' enjoy our days.
181. THE WATCH
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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