Robert Herrick

"Why dost thou wound and break my heart, As if we should for ever part? Hast thou not heard an oath from me, After a day, or two, or three, I would"

"Twixt truth and error, there's this difference known Error is fruitful, truth is only one."

"In desp'rate cases all, or most, are known     Commanders, few for execution."

"May his pretty dukeship grow     Like t'a rose of Jericho:     Sweeter far than ever yet     Showers or sunshines could beget.     May the Gra"

"The Jews their beds and offices of ease,     Placed north and south for these clean purposes;     That man's uncomely froth might not molest"

"Since to the country first I came, I have lost my former flame; And, methinks, I not inherit, As I did, my ravish'd spirit. If I write a verse or"

"So soft streams meet, so springs with gladder smiles     Meet after long divorcement by the isles;     When love, the child of likeness, urgeth"

"Though by well warding many blows we've pass'd,     That stroke most fear'd is which is struck the last."

"Fair Daffodils, we weep to see You haste away so soon; As yet the early-rising sun Has not attain'd his noon. Stay, stay, Until the hasting day"

"Consult ere thou begin'st; that done, go on     With all wise speed for execution."

"'Tis never, or but seldom known,     Power and peace to keep one throne."

"Time was upon The wing, to fly away; And I call'd on Him but awhile to stay; But he'd be gone, For aught that I could say. He held out then A"

"Touch but thy lyre, my Harry, and I hear     From thee some raptures of the rare Gotiere;     Then if thy voice commingle with the string,"

"In time of life I graced ye with my verse;     Do now your flowery honours to my hearse.     You shall not languish, trust me; virgins here"

"Let others to the printing-press run fast;     Since after death comes glory, I'll not haste."

"O Jupiter, should I speak ill     Of woman-kind, first die I will;     Since that I know, 'mong all the rest     Of creatures, woman is the bes"

"A way enhanced with glass and beads There is, that to the Chapel leads; Whose structure, for his holy rest, Is here the Halcyon's curious nest; In"

"Holy-Rood, come forth and shield Us i' th' city and the field; Safely guard us, now and aye, From the blast that burns by day; And those sounds th"

"Lord, I confess, that Thou alone art able     To purify this my Augean stable:     Be the seas water, and the land all soap,     Yet if Thy blo"

"Whatsoever thing I see, Rich or poor although it be, 'Tis a mistress unto me. Be my girl or fair or brown, Does she smile, or does she frown; St"

"The mellow touch of music most doth wound The soul, when it doth rather sigh, than sound."

"Drowning, drowning, I espy     Coming from my Julia's eye:     'Tis some solace in our smart,     To have friends to bear a part:     I have n"

"What God gives, and what we take,     'Tis a gift for Christ, His sake:     Be the meal of beans and peas,     God be thanked for those and the"

"Spend, harmless shade, thy nightly hours     Selecting here both herbs and flowers;     Of which make garlands here and there     To dress thy"

"After the rare arch-poet, Jonson, died,     The sock grew loathsome, and the buskin's pride,     Together with the stage's glory, stood     Eac"

"Thou mighty lord and master of the lyre,     Unshorn Apollo, come and re-inspire     My fingers so, the lyric-strings to move,     That I may p"

"I call, I call:    who do ye call? The maids to catch this cowslip ball! But since these cowslips fading be, Troth, leave the flowers, and maids, t"

"Let's now take our time, While we're in our prime, And old, old age is afar off; For the evil, evil days Will come on apace, Before we can be awa"

"Of flanks and chines of beef doth Gorrell boast     He has at home; but who tastes boil'd or roast?     Look in his brine-tub, and you shall fin"

"A prayer that is said alone     Starves, having no companion.     Great things ask for when thou dost pray,     And those great are which ne'er"

"She by the river sat, and sitting there,     She wept, and made it deeper by a tear."

"Whenas in silks my Julia goes, Then, then, methinks, how sweetly flows That liquefaction of her clothes! Next, when I cast mine eyes and see That"

"Ah, my Perilla, dost thou grieve to see Me day by day to steal away from thee? Age calls me hence, and my grey hairs bid come, And haste away to mi"

"The person crowns the place; your lot doth fall     Last, yet to be with these a principal.     Howe'er it fortuned; know for truth, I meant"

"When my off'ring next I make,     Be thy hand the hallowed cake,     And thy breast the altar whence     Love may smell the frankincense."

"Great cities seldom rest; if there be none T' invade from far, they'll find worse foes at home."

"What though my harp and viol be     Both hung upon the willow tree?     What though my bed be now my grave,     And for my house I darkness hav"

"In the old Scripture I have often read,     The calf without meal ne'er was offered;     To figure to us nothing more than this,     Without th"

"As is your name, so is your comely face Touch'd every where with such diffused grace, As that in all that admirable round, There is not one least s"

"God has four keys, which He reserves alone:     The first of rain; the key of hell next known;     With the third key He opes and shuts the womb"

"'Twas not love's dart,     Or any blow     Of want, or foe,     Did wound my heart     With an eternal smart;     But only you,     My some"

"I dare not ask a kiss, I dare not beg a smile; Lest having that, or this, I might grow proud the while. No, no, the utmost share Of my desire sh"

"Play I could once; but, gentle friend, you see     My harp hung up here on the willow tree.     Sing I could once; and bravely, too, inspire"

"Bice laughs, when no man speaks; and doth protest.     It is his own breech there that breaks the jest."

"Give me a reason why men call     Punchin a dry plant-animal.     Because as plants by water grow,     Punchin by beer and ale spreads so."

"My head doth ache,     O Sappho! take     Thy fillet,     And bind the pain,     Or bring some bane     To kill it.     But less that part"

"Welcome to this my college, and though late     Thou'st got a place here (standing candidate)     It matters not, since thou art chosen one"

"In the hour of my distress, When temptations me oppress, And when I my sins confess, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When I lie within my bed, Sick in"

"Fie, quoth my lady, what a stink is here?     When 'twas her breath that was the carrionere."

"For being comely, consonant, and free     To most of men, but most of all to me;     For so decreeing that thy clothes' expense     Keeps still"

"The bound, almost, now of my book I see,     But yet no end of these therein, or me:     Here we begin new life, while thousands quite     Are"

"Glory be to the Graces!     That do in public places     Drive thence whate'er encumbers     The list'ning to my numbers.     Honour be to th"

"Those ends in war the best contentment bring, Whose peace is made up with a pardoning."

"Art thou not destin'd? then with haste go on     To make thy fair predestination:     If thou can'st change thy life, God then will please"

"First, for your shape, the curious cannot show     Any one part that's dissonant in you:     And 'gainst your chaste behaviour there's no plea,"

"I have beheld two lovers in a night     Hatched o'er with moonshine from their stolen delight     (When this to that, and that to this, had give"

"These fresh beauties, we can prove,     Once were virgins, sick of love,     Turn'd to flowers: still in some,     Colours go and colours come."

"What is a kiss? Why this, as some approve:     The sure, sweet cement, glue, and lime of love."

"Man must do well out of a good intent;     Not for the servile fear of punishment."

"Linnet plays rarely on the lute, we know;     And sweetly sings, but yet his breath says no."