Textarchiv - Robert Herrick

His Sailing From Julia

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

When that day comes, whose evening says I'm gone
Unto that watery desolation,
Devoutly to thy closet-gods then pray
That my wing'd ship may meet no remora.
Those deities which circum-walk the seas,
And look upon our dreadful passages,
Will from all dangers re-deliver me
For one drink-offering poured out by thee.
Mercy and truth live with thee! and forbear
(In my short absence) to unsluice a tear;
But yet for love's sake let thy lips do this,
Give my dead picture one engendering kiss:
Work that to life, and let me ever dwell
In thy remembrance, Julia. So farewell.

Robert Herrick

1648

The Parcæ; Or, Three Dainty Destinies: The Armillet

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Three lovely sisters working were,
As they were closely set,
Of soft and dainty maidenhair
A curious armillet.
I, smiling, asked them what they did,
Fair Destinies all three,
Who told me they had drawn a thread
Of life, and 'twas for me.
They show'd me then how fine 'twas spun,
And I reply'd thereto,—
"I care not now how soon 'tis done,
Or cut, if cut by you".

Robert Herrick

1648

The Shoe-Tying

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Anthea bade me tie her shoe;
I did; and kissed the instep too:
And would have kissed unto her knee,
Had not her blush rebuked me.

Robert Herrick

1648

Love's Play At Push-Pin

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Love and myself, believe me, on a day
At childish push-pin, for our sport, did play;
I put, he pushed, and, heedless of my skin,
Love pricked my finger with a golden pin;
Since which it festers so that I can prove
'Twas but a trick to poison me with love:
Little the wound was, greater was the smart,
The finger bled, but burnt was all my heart.

Robert Herrick

1648

The Parliament Of Roses To Julia

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

I dreamt the roses one time went
To meet and sit in parliament;
The place for these, and for the rest
Of flowers, was thy spotless breast,
Over the which a state was drawn
Of tiffanie or cobweb lawn.
Then in that parly all those powers
Voted the rose the queen of flowers;
But so as that herself should be
The maid of honour unto thee.

Robert Herrick

1648

Cherry-Pit

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Julia and I did lately sit
Playing for sport at cherry-pit:
She threw; I cast; and, having thrown,
I got the pit, and she the stone.

Robert Herrick

1648

To Robin Redbreast

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Laid out for dead, let thy last kindness be
With leaves and moss-work for to cover me:
And while the wood-nymphs my cold corpse inter,
Sing thou my dirge, sweet-warbling chorister!
For epitaph, in foliage, next write this:
Here, here the tomb of Robin Herrick is.

Robert Herrick

1648

Upon Cupid

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Old wives have often told how they
Saw Cupid bitten by a flea;
And thereupon, in tears half drown'd,
He cried aloud: Help, help the wound!
He wept, he sobb'd, he call'd to some
To bring him lint and balsamum,
To make a tent, and put it in
Where the stiletto pierced the skin;
Which, being done, the fretful pain
Assuaged, and he was well again.

Robert Herrick

1648

The Carcanet

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Instead of orient pearls of jet
I sent my love a carcanet;
About her spotless neck she knit
The lace, to honour me or it:
Then think how rapt was I to see
My jet t'enthral such ivory.

Robert Herrick

1648

The Dream

mrbot — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:49:32 +0000

Methought last night Love in an anger came
And brought a rod, so whipt me with the same;
Myrtle the twigs were, merely to imply
Love strikes, but 'tis with gentle cruelty.
Patient I was: Love pitiful grew then
And strok'd the stripes, and I was whole again.
Thus, like a bee, Love gentle still doth bring
Honey to salve where he before did sting.

Robert Herrick

1648