Similizing Thoughts

¹

Thoughts as a pen do write upon the brain.
The letters which wise thoughts do write, are plain.
Fools scribble, scrabble, and² make many a blot,
Which makes them nonsense³ speak—they know not what.
Some⁴ thoughts, like pencils, draw still to the life,⁵                  5
And fancies mixed, as colors, give delight.
The sadder⁶ thoughts are for the⁷ shadows placed,
By which the lighter fancies are more graced.
Like as⁸ through dark⁹ and wat’ry clouds,¹⁰ more bright
The sun breaks forth with his resplendent light,                      10
Or like to¹¹ night’s black mantle, where each star
Doth clearer seem, so lighter fancies are.
Some like to¹² rainbows various colors show;
So round the brain fantastic fancies grow.

1. Similizing Thoughts] Thoughts Similized. 1664; Thoughts similized. 1668
2. Fools scribble, scrabble, and] The foolish Scribl’and Scrable, 1664; The Foolish, scribbl’and scrabble, 1668
3. nonsense] sometimes 1664, 1668
4. Some] Or 1653
5. still to the life,] to please the Sight, 1664; to please the Sight; 1668
6. The sadder] Sad melancholy 1653
7. for the] for 1653
8. Like as] As 1653
9. dark] a dark, 1653
10. clouds,] Cloud, 1653
11. to] as 1664, 1668
12. Some like to] And like as 1664; And, like as 1668