Hee that would write an Epitaph for thee, And do it well, must first beginne to be Such as thou wert; for, none can truly know Thy worth, thy life, but he that hath liv'd so; He must have wit to spare and to hurle downe: Enough, to keepe the gallants of the towne. He must have learning plenty; both the Lawes, Civill, and Common, to judge any cause; Divinity great store, above the rest; Not of the last Edition, but the best. Hee must have language, travaile, all the Arts; Judgement to use; or else he wants thy parts. He must have friends the highest, able to do; Such as @3Mecoenas,@1 and @3Augustus@1 too. He must have such a sicknesse, such a death; Or else his vaine descriptions come beneath; Who then shall write an Epitaph for thee, He must be dead first, let'it alone for mee. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...REPORT OF AN ADJUDGED CASE, NOT TO BE FOUND IN ANY BOOKS by WILLIAM COWPER OFF THE GROUND by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE THE DAY IS DONE by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW TO HIM THAT WAS CRUCIFIED by WALT WHITMAN SONGS OF NIGHT TO MORNING: 5 by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE LOVE SONNETS OF PROTEUS: 89. THE LIMIT OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT WEIRD FANTASY by IDA MAY BORNCAMP THIS IS THE END by JEAN DE BOSSCHERE TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 4. IN A SCOTCH-FIR WOOD by EDWARD CARPENTER |