Milton: Minor Poems

Name: Milton: Minor Poems
Author: Milton, John
Milton, John
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
To arched walks of twilight groves,
    And shadows brown, that Sylvan loves,
    Of pine, or monumental oak,                                      135
    Where the rude axe with heaved stroke
    Was never heard the nymphs to daunt,
    Or fright them from their hallowed haunt.
    There, in close covert, by some brook,
    Where no profaner eye may look,                                  140
    Hide me from day's garish eye,
    While the bee with honeyed thigh,
    That at her flowery work doth sing,
    And the waters murmuring,
    With such consort as they keep,                                  145
    Entice the dewy-feathered Sleep.
    And let some strange mysterious dream
    Wave at his wings, in airy stream
    Of lively portraiture displayed,
    Softly on my eyelids laid;                                       150
    And, as I wake, sweet music breathe
    Above, about, or underneath,
    Sent by some Spirit to mortals good,
    Or the unseen Genius of the wood.
    But let my due feet never fail                                   155
    To walk the studious cloister's pale,
    And love the high embowed roof,
    With antique pillars massy-proof,
    And storied windows richly dight,
    Casting a dim religious light.                                   160
    There let the pealing organ blow,
    To the full-voiced quire below,
    In service high and anthems clear,
    As may with sweetness, through mine ear,
    Dissolve me into ecstasies,                                      165
    And bring all Heaven before mine eyes.
    And may at last my weary age
    Find out the peaceful hermitage,
    The hairy gown and mossy cell,
    Where I may sit and rightly spell                                170
    Of every star that heaven doth shew,
    And every herb that sips the dew,
    Till old experience do attain
    To something like prophetic strain.
    These pleasures, Melancholy, give;                               175
    And I with thee will choose to live.




                                ARCADES.


_Part of an Entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at
Harefield by some Noble Persons of her Family; who appear on the Scene in
pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of state, with this song:--_


                               I. _Song._

    Look, Nymphs and Shepherds, look!
    What sudden blaze of majesty
    Is that which we from hence descry,
    Too divine to be mistook?
      This, this is she                                                5
    To whom our vows and wishes bend:
    Here our solemn search hath end.
    Fame, that her high worth to raise
    Seemed erst so lavish and profuse,
    We may justly now accuse                                          10
    Of detraction from her praise:
      Less than half we find expressed;
      Envy bid conceal the rest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Milton: Minor Poems

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