NIGHT! loathed jailor of the lock'd-up sun, And tyrant-turnkey on committed day, Bright eyes lie fetter'd in thy dungeon, And heaven itself doth thy dark wards obey: Thou dost arise our living hell, With thee groans, terrors, furies dwell, Until Lucasta doth awake, And with her beams these heavy chains off shake. Behold, with opening her almighty lid, Bright eyes break rolling and with lustre spread, And captive Day his chariot mounted is; Night to her proper hell is beat, And screwed to her ebon seat; Till th' earth with play oppressed lies, And draws again the curtains of her eyes. But bondslave I know neither day nor night, Whether she murth'ring sleep or saving wake; Now broil'd i' th' zone of her reflected light, Then froze, my icicles not sinews shake. Smile then, new Nature, your soft blast Doth melt our ice, and fires waste; Whilst the scorch'd shiv'ring world new-born Now feels it all the day one rising morn. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS FOR A SUMMER EVENING by MICHAEL ANANIA ON WORDSWORTH by DAVID HARTLEY COLERIDGE ELEGIAC SONNET: 2. WRITTEN AT THE CLOSE OF SPRING by CHARLOTTE SMITH UPON A WASP CHILLED WITH COLD by EDWARD TAYLOR |