Skip to content

William Blake

Does the Eagle know what is in the pit?

Or wilt thou go ask the Mole:

Can Wisdom be put in a silver rod?

Or Love in a golden bowl?

Read full poem →

noun

One who, or that which, accelerates.

Know more →

ELEGIE V.

45 lines
John Donne·1572–1631
His Picture._ Here take my Picture; though I bid farewell,Thine, in my heart, where my soule dwels, shall dwell.'Tis like me now, but I dead, 'twill be moreWhen wee are shadowes both, then'twas before.When weather-beaten I come backe; my hand, 5Perhaps with rude oares torne, or Sun beams tann'd,My face and brest of hairecloth, and my headWith cares rash sodaine stormes, being o'rspread,My body'a sack of bones, broken within,And powders blew staines scatter'd on my skinne; 10If rivall fooles taxe thee to'have lov'd a man,So foule, and course, as, Oh, I may seeme than,This shall say what I was: and thou shalt say,Doe his hurts reach mee? doth my worth decay?Or doe they reach his judging minde, that hee 15Should now love lesse, what hee did love to see?That which in him was faire and delicate,Was but the milke, which in loves childish stateDid nurse it: who now is growne strong enoughTo feed on that, which to disused tasts seemes tough. 20 [Eleg. V. His Picture. _1635-54:_ Elegie V. _1633_, _1669:_Elegye. (_numbered variously_) _A18_, _A25_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_,_JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCC_, _TCD_, _W:_The Picture. _P:_ Travelling he leaves his Picture with hismystris. _B_] [1 Picture; ... farewell, _Ed:_ Picture, ... farewell; _1633:__rest semicolon or colon after each_] [8 With cares rash sodaine stormes, being o'rspread, _1633_,_A18_, _N_, _TC:_ With cares rash, cruel, sudden stormso'erspread _P:_ With cares rash-sudden cruel-storms o'erprest_B:_ With cares rash sudden storms o'erpressed _S_, _S96:_With cares rash sudden storms o'erspread _Cy_, _D_, _H49_,_Lec:_ With cares rash sodaine horiness o'erspread _A25_,_JC_, _W:_ With cares harsh sodaine horinesse o'rspread,_1635-69_, _O'F_] [16 now love lesse, _1633-69_, _A18_, _N_, _TC:_ like and loveless _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _O'F_, _P_,_S_, _S96_, _W_] [19 nurse] nourish _A18_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TC_ strong] tough _P_] [20 disused _Ed:_ disus'd _1633-39_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_,_D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC_,_W:_ weake _1650-69_ tough.] rough. _P_]