Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter
1608-1666
BLOWN in the morning, thou shalt fade ere noon.
What boots a life which in such haste forsakes thee?
Thourt wondrous frolic, being to die so soon,
And passing proud a little colour makes thee.
If thee thy brittle beauty so deceives,
Know then the thing that swells thee is thy bane;
For the same beauty doth, in bloody leaves,
The sentence of thy early death contain.
Some clowns coarse lungs will poison thy sweet flower,
If by the careless plough thou shalt be torn;
And many Herods lie in wait each hour
To murder thee as soon as thou art born
Nay, force thy bud to blowtheir tyrant breath
Anticipating life, to hasten death!
Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter