Lycidas by John Milton

lissa dhis by John Milton written in 1637 from the Cambridge history of English and American literature Elissa distr delight reaches an even higher pitch for once there was no need to quarrel even with such an apparent hyperbole is Mark Patterson calling it the high-water mark of English poetry especially as high-water mark is not a thing that can only once be reached the circumstances form and character of this exquisite poem have been the subject of a great deal of writing it formed part of a collection of episodes on Edward King a slightly younger contemporary of Milton who had become a college mate in tutor and had intended to take orders but was drowned on a voyage to Ireland in the summer of 1637 Milton's contribution is signed JM only the general scheme is that of a classical pastoral elegy the verse form is very peculiar in fact up to its date unique arrangement of stanzas and lines of unequal length for the most part irregularly and not entirely rhymed but terminating in a regular octave to what extent the poem expresses personal sorrow has been largely but very unnecessarily questioned as an elegy it has poetically speaking no superior even in a language which contains the various laments on Sydney before and Adonai s and verses after the whole poem is a tissue of splendid passages not unconnected but sewn cunningly together rather than woven in one piece as regards subject there cannot be better verse than listeners licit us by John Milton yet once more oh ye laurels and once more ye myrtles Browne with IV never sere I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude and with forced fingers rude shatter your leaves before the mellowing year bitter constraint and sad occasion dear compels me to disturb your seasoned you elicit us is dead dead ere his prime young listeners and hath not left his peer who would not sing felicitous he knew himself to sing and build the lofty rhyme he must not float upon his watery bear unwept and welter to the parching wind without the mead of some melodious tear begin then sisters of the sacred well that from beneath the seat of Jove doth spring begin and somewhat loudly sweep the string hence with denial vain and coy excuse so may some gentle music my destined urn and as he passes turn and bid fair peace be to my sable shroud for we were nursed upon the self-same Hill fed the same flock by fountain shade and rill together both ere the high lawns appeared under the opening eyelids of the morn we drove a field in both together heard what time the gray fly winds her sultry horn battening our flocks with the fresh dews of night off till the star that rose at evening bright towards heavens descent had sloped his westering wheel meanwhile the rural ditties were not mute tempered to the oten flute rough satyrs danced and fawns with cloven heel from the glad sound would not be absent long and old dimittis loved to hear our song but o the heavy change now thou art gone now thou art gone and never must return the Shepherd the the woods and desert caves with wild time in the gadding vie no groan and all their echoes mourn the Willows and the Hazel copses green shall now no more be seen Fanning their joyous leaves to thy soft lays as killing as the canker to the Rose or taint worm to the weanling herds that graze or frost to flowers that they're gay wardrip where when first the white thorn blurs such lettuce thy lost to Shepherds ear where were you nymphs when the remorseless deep closed or the head of your loved Lissa dhis for neither were you playing on the steep where your old buds the famous druids lie nor on the shaggy top of Mona high nor yet where Davis spreads her wizard stream I mean I fondly dream had he been there for what could that have done what could the Muse herself that Orpheus bore the muse herself for her enchanting son whom universal nature did lament when by the route that made the hideous roar his gory visit down the stream was sent down the Swift Hebrews to the lesbian Shore alas what boots it with unsent care to tend the homely slighted shepherds trade and strictly meditate the thankless Muse wear it not better done as others use to sport with amaryllis in the shade or with the tangles of near as hair Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise that last infirmity of noble mind to scorn delights and live laborious days but the fair Gurdon when we hope to find and think to burst out into sudden blaze comes the blind fury with the abhorrent shears and slits the thin spun life but not the praised Phoebus replied and touched my trembling ears Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil nor in the glittering foil set off to the world nor in broad rumor lies but lives and spreads aloft by those pure eyes and perfect witness of all judging Jove as he pronounces lastly on each deed of so much fame in heaven expect thy meat o fountain arth use and thou honored flood smooth sliding mint she is crowned with vocal reeds that strain I heard was of a higher mood but now my ode precedes and listens to the herald of the sea that came in Neptune's plea he asked the waves and asked the felon winds would hide mishap hath doomed this gentle Swain and questioned every gust of rugged winds that blows from off each beacon promontory they knew not of his story and sage Hepatitis their answer brings and not a blast was from his dungeon strayed the air was common on the level brine sleek panna pea with all her sisters played it was that fatal in perfidious bark built in the Eclipse and rigged with curses dark that sunk so low that sacred head of thine next Camus Reverend saya went footing slow his mantle Harry and his bonnets edge in wrought with figures dim and on the edge like to that sanguine flower inscribed with whoa-ah who hath reffed quoth he my dearest pledge last came and last did go the pilot of the Galilean Lake to masse Keys he bore of metals Twain the golden opes the iron shuts a Mane he shook his might at locks and stern be spake how well could I have spared for the young Swain a now of such as for their bellies sake creep and intrude and climb into the fold of other care they like reckoning make then how to scramble at the shearers feast and shove away the worthy bidden guests blind mouths that scarce themselves know how to hold a sheep hook or have learned or elles the least that to the faithful heard man's art belongs what wrecks it them what need they they are sped and when they list their lean and flashy songs great on their scrambled pipes of wretched straw the hungry sheep look up and are not fed but swollen with wind and the rank missed their draw rot inwardly and foul contagion spread besides what the grim wolf with privy poor daily devours a pace and nothing said but that two-handed engine at the door stands ready to smite once and smite no more return Alphaeus the dread voices past that shrunk thy streams returned Sicilian muse and call the vales and bid them hither cast their bells and flowers of a thousand hues he valleys low with a mild whispers use of shades and wanton winds and gushing brooks on whose fresh lap the swart star spare Leeloo looks throw hither all your quaint enameled eyes that on the green turf suck the honey showers and purple all the ground with vernal flowers bring the Wraith Primrose that Forsaken dyes the tufted croto in pale Jessamine the white pink in the pansy freaked with jeet the glowing violet the musk rose and the well-attired Woodbine with cowslips one that hang the pensive head and every flower that sad embroidery wears bid amaranthus all his beauty shed and daffodil ease fill their cups with tears to strew the laureate hearse where licit lies for so to interpose a little ease let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise I me whilst the the shores and sounding seas wash far away where thy bones are hurled whether beyond the stormy Hebrides where thou perhaps under the whelming tide visitest the bottom of the monstrous world or whether thou to our moist vows denied sleepest by the fable of belorus old where the great vision of the guarded mount looks toward 'no man coos and bay owners hold look homeward angel now and melt with Ruth and oh ye dolphins waft the hapless youth weep no more woeful shepherds weep no more felicitous your sorrow is not dead sunk though he be beneath the watery floor so sinks the Daystar in the ocean bed and yet anon repairs his drooping head and tricks his beams and with new spangled or flames in the forehead of the morning sky so licit a sunk low but mounted high through the deer might of him that walked the waves where other groves and other streams along with nectar pure his boozy locks he lathes and here's the unexpressive nuptial song in the blessed kingdoms meek of joy and love there entertain him all the saints above in solemn troupes and sweet societies that sing and singing in the glory move and wipe the tears forever from his eyes now listen as the Shepherd's weep no more henceforth thou art the genius of the Shore in thy large recompense and shalt be good to all that wander in that perilous flood thus sang the uncouth Swain to the Oaks and rills while the still mourn went out with sandals gray he touched the tender stops of various quills with eager thought warbling his dark lay and now the Sun had stretched out all the hills and now was dropped into the western bay at last he rose and twitched his mantle blue tomorrow - fresh woods and pastures new

Channel: LearnOutLoud

Views: 23,686

Rating: 4.756906 out of 5

Keywords: John Milton (Author), Lycidas

Id: 5CfDHiGyg68

Length: 11min 54sec (714 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 14 2013