Robert Herrick (poet)

"I write of hell; I sing (and ever shall) Of heaven, and hope to have it after all."

"To read my book the virgin shy May blush while Brutus standeth by, But when he's gone, read through what's writ, And never stain a cheek for it."

"In sober mornings, do not thou rehearse The holy incantation of a verse."

"When the rose reigns, and locks with ointments shine, Let rigid Cato read these lines of mine."

"To get thine ends, lay bashfulness aside; Who fears to ask doth teach to be deny'd."

"Is there no way to beget In my limbs their former heat? Æson had, as poets feign, Baths that made him young again: Find that medicine, if you can, For your dry decrepit man Who would fain his strength renew, Were it but to pleasure you."

"Love is a circle that doth restless move In the same sweet eternity of love."

"Small griefs find tongues: full casks are ever found To give (if any, yet) but little sound. Deep waters noiseless are; and this we know, That chiding streams betray small depth below."

"I have lost, and lately, these Many dainty mistresses."

"When one is past, another care we have: Thus woe succeeds a woe, as wave a wave."

"Cherry-ripe, ripe, ripe, I cry, Full and fair ones; come and buy. If so be you ask me where They do grow, I answer: There, Where my Julia's lips do smile; There's the land, or cherry-isle, Whose plantations fully show All the year where cherries grow."

"Now is the time, when all the lights wax dim; And thou, Anthea, must withdraw from him Who was thy servant."

"For my embalming, sweetest, there will be No spices wanting when I'm laid by thee."

"But, ah! if empty dreams so please, Love give me more such nights as these."

"Here we are all by day; by night we're hurl'd By dreams, each one into a sev'ral world."

"Fight thou with shafts of silver and o'ercome, When no force else can get the masterdom."

"So smooth, so sweet, so silv'ry is thy voice, As, could they hear, the damn'd would make no noise, But listen to thee, walking in thy chamber, Melting melodious words to lutes of amber."

"All things decay with time: the forest sees The growth and downfall of her aged trees; That timber tall, which threescore lusters stood The proud dictator of the state-like wood,— I mean (the sovereign of all plants) the oak— Droops, dies, and falls without the cleaver's stroke."

"Give me a kiss, and to that kiss a score; Then to that twenty add a hundred more: A thousand to that hundred: so kiss on, To make that thousand up a million. Treble that million, and when that is done Let's kiss afresh, as when we first begun."

"Some ask'd me where the rubies grew, And nothing I did say; But with my finger pointed to The lips of Julia."

"Some ask'd how pearls did grow, and where; Then spoke I to my girl, To part her lips, and show'd them there The quarrelets of Pearl."

"A sweet disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness: A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction: An erring lace which here and there Enthralls the crimson stomacher: A cuff neglectful, and thereby Ribbons to flow confusedly: A winning wave, deserving note, In the tempestuous petticoat: A careless shoe-string, in whose tie I see a wild civility: Do more bewitch me than when art Is too precise in every part."

"But thou liv'st fearless; and thy face ne'er shows Fortune when she comes or goes."

"Hunger makes coarse meats delicates."

"Wealth cannot make a life, but love."

"When a daffodil I see, Hanging down his head towards me, Guess I may what I must be: First, I shall decline my head; Secondly, I shall be dead; Lastly, safely buried."

"The warm soft side Of the resigning, yet resisting bride."

"The kiss of virgins, first fruits of the bed, Soft speech, smooth touch, the lips, the maidenhead: These and a thousand sweets could never be So near or dear as thou wast once to me."

"O thou, the drink of gods and angels! wine."

"'Tis thou alone who, with thy mystic fan, Work'st more than wisdom, art, or nature can To rouse the sacred madness and awake The frost-bound blood and spirits, and to make Them frantic with thy raptures flashing through The soul like lightning, and as active too."

"'Tis not Apollo can, or those thrice three Castalian sisters, sing, if wanting thee. Horace, Anacreon, both had lost their fame, Had'st thou not fill'd them with thy fire and flame."

"Let others drink thee freely, and desire Thee and their lips espous'd, while I admire And love thee, but not taste thee. Let my muse Fail of thy former helps, and only use Her inadult'rate strength: what's done by me Hereafter shall smell of the lamp, not thee."

"A virgin's face she had; her dress Was like a sprightly Spartaness."

"Her legs were such Diana shows When, tucked up, she a-hunting goes; With buskins shortened to descry The happy dawning of her thigh."

"Which when I saw, I made access To kiss that tempting nakedness But she forbade me with a wand Of myrtle she had in her hand And, chiding me, said: Hence, remove, Herrick, thou art too coarse to love."

"You say to me-wards your affection's strong; Pray love me little, so you love me long."

"Sweet, be not proud of those two eyes Which, starlike, sparkle in their skies; Nor be you proud that you can see All hearts your captives, yours yet free."

"Get up, get up for shame, the blooming morn Upon her wings presents the god unshorn."

"See how Aurora throws her fair Fresh-quilted colours through the air."

"Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see The dew bespangling herb and tree."

"'Tis sin, Nay, profanation to keep in."

"Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and green."

"Many a green-gown has been given; Many a kiss, both odd and even: Many a glance too has been sent From out the eye, love's firmament."

"So when or you or I are made A fable, song, or fleeting shade, All love, all liking, all delight Lies drowned with us in endless night."

"Then while time serves, and we are but decaying, Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying."

"Soul of my life and fame! Eternal lamp of love! whose radiant flame Out-glares the heaven's Osiris, and thy gleams Out-shine the splendour of his mid-day beams."

"Welcome, maids-of-honour! You do bring In the spring, And wait upon her. ... Yet, though thus respected, By-and-by Ye do lie, Poor girls, neglected."

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day To-morrow will be dying."

"The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he's to setting."

"I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds and bowers, Of April, May, of June and July-flowers; I sing of May-poles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes, Of bridegrooms, brides and of their bridal cakes; I write of youth, of love, and have access By these to sing of cleanly wantonness."