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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


A MOCK SONG by RICHARD LOVELACE

Poet Analysis

First Line: NOW WHITEHALL'S IN THE GRAVE
Last Line: FOR OUR DRAGON HATH VANQUISH'D THE ST. GEORGE.

Now Whitehall's in the grave,
And our head is our slave,
The bright pearl in his close shell of oyster;
Now the mitre is lost,
The proud prelates, too, cross'd,
And all Rome 's confin'd to a cloister;
He that Tarquin was styl'd
Our white land 's exil'd,
Yea undefil'd;
Not a court ape 's left to confute us:
Then let your voices rise high,
As your colours did fly,
And flour'shing cry,
Long live the brave Oliver-Brutus!

Now the sun is unarm'd,
And the moon by us charm'd,
All the stars dissolv'd to a jelly;
Now the thighs of the crown
And the arms are lopp'd down,
And the body is all but a belly:
Let the Commons go on,
The town is our own,
We 'll rule alone;
For the knights have yielded their spent gorge;
And an order is ta'en,
With Honi Soit profane,
Shout forth amain,
For our Dragon hath vanquish'd the St. George.




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