Sir William Davenant.

1606-1668

309   Aubade

   THE lark now leaves his wat’ry nest,
   And climbing shakes his dewy wings.
He takes this window for the East,
   And to implore your light he sings—
Awake, awake! the morn will never rise
Till she can dress her beauty at your eyes.
The merchant bows unto the seaman’s star,
   The ploughman from the sun his season takes;
But still the lover wonders what they are
   Who look for day before his mistress wakes.
Awake, awake! break thro’ your veils of lawn!
Then draw your curtains, and begin the dawn!

310   To a Mistress Dying

          Lover.   YOUR beauty, ripe and calm and fresh
                            As eastern summers are,
                       Must now, forsaking time and flesh,
                            Add light to some small star.

Philosopher.   Whilst she yet lives, were stars decay’d,
                            Their light by hers relief might find;
                       But Death will lead her to a shade
                             Where Love is cold and Beauty blind.

          Lover.   Lovers, whose priests all poets are,
                            Think every mistress, when she dies,
                       Is changed at least into a star:
                       And who dares doubt the poets wise?

Philosopher.   But ask not bodies doom’d to die
                            To what abode they go;
                       Since Knowledge is but Sorrow’s spy.
                             It is not safe to know.

311   Praise and Prayer

PRAISE is devotion fit for mighty minds,
   The diff’ring world’s agreeing sacrifice;
Where Heaven divided faiths united finds:
   But Prayer in various discord upward flies.

For Prayer the ocean is where diversely
   Men steer their course, each to a sev’ral coast;
Where all our interests so discordant be
   That half beg winds by which the rest are lost.

By Penitence when we ourselves forsake,
   ’Tis but in wise design on piteous Heaven;
In Praise we nobly give what God may take,
   And are, without a beggar’s blush, forgiven.