Favored by Heaven are those, ordained to taste The bliss supreme that kindles fancy's fire; Whose magic fingers sweep the muses' lyre, In varying cadence, eloquently chaste! Well may the mind, with tuneful numbers graced, To Fame's immortal attributes aspire, Above the treacherous spells of low desire, That wound the sense, by vulgar joys debased. For thou, blest Poesy! with godlike powers To calm the miseries of man wert given; When passion rends, and hopeless love devours, By memory goaded, and by frenzy driven, 'Tis thine to guide him 'midst Elysian bowers, And show his fainting soul, -- a glimpse of Heaven. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GOOD FRIDAY, 1613. RIDING WESTWARD by JOHN DONNE THE MAIDEN QUEEN: SONG by JOHN DRYDEN DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI: 2. HEAT by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER A FIT OF RHYME AGAINST RHYME [OR, RIME] by BEN JONSON THE MAN-OF-WAR HAWK by HERMAN MELVILLE |