STAY, fairest Chariessa, stay and mark This animated gem, whose fainter spark Of fading light its birth had from the dark. A Star thought by the erring passenger, Which falling from its native orb dropt here, And makes the earth (its centre) now its sphere. Should many of these sparks together be, He that the unknown light far off should see, Would think it a terrestrial Galaxy. Take 't up, fair Saint; see how it mocks thy fright! The paler flame doth not yield heat, though light, Which thus deceives thy reason, through thy sight. But see how quickly it (ta'en up) doth fade, To shine in darkness only being made, By th' brightness of thy light turn'd to a shade; And burnt to ashes by thy flamjng eyes, On the chaste altar of thy hand it dies, As to thy greater light a sacrifice. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SUMTER by HENRY HOWARD BROWNELL REBEL COLOR-BEARERS AT SHILOH by HERMAN MELVILLE SONNET: 57 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE THE TRUANTS by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM HIS WORST ENEMY by WILLIAM ROSE BENET ON THE DEATH OF AN INFANT OF FIVE DAYS OLD by ELIZABETH BOYD |