STRANGE chymistry! can dust and sand produce So pure a body and diaphanous? Strange kind of courtship! that the amorous sun T' embrace a mineral twists his rays in one. Talk of the heavens mock'd by a sphere, alas! The sun itself's here in a piece of glass. Let magnets drag base iron, this alone Can to her icy bosom win the sun; Witches may cheat us of his light awhile, But this can him even of himself beguile: In heaven he staggers to both tropics, here He keeps fix'd residence all times of th' year; Here's a perpetual solstice, here he lies, Not on a bed of water, but of ice: How well by this himself abridge, he might Redeem the Scythians from their ling'ring night? Well by this glassy proxy might he roll Beyond th' ecliptic, and warm either pole; Had but Prometheus been so wise, h' had ne'er Scaled heaven to light his torch, but lighted here; Had Archimedes once but known this use, H' had burnt Marcellus from proud Syracuse; Had Vesta's maids of honour this but seen, Their Lady's fire had ne'er extinguish'd been; Hell's engines might have finish'd their design Of powder (but that heaven did countermine) Had they but thought of this; th' Egyptians may Well hatch their eggs without the midwife clay; Why do not puling lovers this devise For a fit emblem of their mistress' eyes? They call them diamonds, and say th' have been Reduced by them to ashes all within; But they'll assum[e] 't, and ever hence 'twill pass, A mistress' eye is but Love's Burning-glass. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...YOU ARE FIRE EATERS by MARIANNE MOORE A LILLIPUTIAN ODE ON THEIR MAJESTIES' ACCESSION by HENRY CAREY (1687-1743) THE BRAVE OLD OAK by HENRY FOTHERGILL CHORLEY SONG: 4 by EDWARD ESTLIN CUMMINGS THOMAS HOOD by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON WHERE LIES THE LAND by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH DRINKING SONG (4) by ALCAEUS OF MYTILENE SONG OF SEID NIMETOLLAH OF KUHISTAN by AMIR NURU'D-DIN NI'MATU'LLAH |