{"id":2741,"date":"2021-07-05T22:52:57","date_gmt":"2021-07-05T22:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/?p=2741"},"modified":"2021-07-05T23:07:40","modified_gmt":"2021-07-05T23:07:40","slug":"the-surprisal-of-death-from-natures-pictures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/?p=2741","title":{"rendered":"The Surprisal of Death (from Nature’s Picture(s))"},"content":{"rendered":"

The next,<\/i><\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> a virgin\u2019s turn a<\/i><\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span> tale to tell,
\nFor youth and modesty did fit it well.<\/i><\/p>\n

A company of virgins young did meet;
\nTheir pastime was to gather flowers sweet.
\nThey<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span> white straw hats upon their heads did wear,
\nAnd falling feathers, which waved with the air,
\nFanning their faces like a Zephyrus<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span> wind,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 5
\nShadowing the sun, that strove their eyes to blind.
\nAnd in their hands they each a basket held,
\nWhich baskets they with fruits or flowers filled.
\nBut one amongst the rest such beauty had,
\nThat Venus for to change might well be glad<\/span>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span>:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 10
\nHer shape exact; her skin was smooth and fair;
\nHer teeth white, even set; a long curled hair;
\nHer nature modest; her behavior so,
\nAs when she moved the Graces seemed to go.
\nHer wit was quick, and pleasing to the ear,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 15
\nThat all who heard her speak straight<\/span>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span> lovers were\u2014
\nBut yet her words such chaste love did create
\nThat all impurity they did abate.
\nIn<\/span>7<\/sup><\/a><\/span> every heart or head, where wild thoughts live,
\nShe did convert, and wise instructions give, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 20
\nFor her discourse such heavenly seeds did sow
\nThat where \u2019twas<\/span>8<\/sup><\/a><\/span> strewed, there virtues up did grow.
\nThese virgins all were in a garden set,
\nAnd each did strive the finest flowers to get.
\nBut this fair lady on a bank did lie\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 25
\nOf most choice flowers, which did court her eye,
\nAnd every one did bend their heads full low,
\nBowing their stalks, which from the roots did<\/span>9<\/sup><\/a><\/span> grow.
\nAnd when her hands did touch their tender leaves,
\nEach<\/span>10<\/sup><\/a><\/span> seemed to kiss, and to her fingers cleaves.<\/span>11<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 30
\nBut she, as if in nature \u2019twere a crime,
\nWas loath to crop their stalks in their full prime,
\nBut with her face close to those flowers lay,
\nThat through her nostrils those sweets might find way\u2014<\/span>12<\/sup><\/a><\/span>
\nNot for to rob them, for her head was full\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 35
\nOf flow\u2019ry fancies, which her wit did pull
\nAnd posies made, the world for to present:
\nMore lasting were, and of<\/span>13<\/sup><\/a><\/span> a sweeter scent.
\nBut as she lay upon this pleasant<\/span>14<\/sup><\/a><\/span> bank,
\nFor which those flowers did great Nature thank,\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 40
\nDeath envious grew they<\/span>15<\/sup><\/a><\/span> such delight did take,
\nAnd with his dart a deadly wound did make.
\nA sudden cold did seize her every limb,
\nWith which her pulse beat slow and eyes grew dim.
\nSome that sat by observed her pale to be,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 45
\nBut thought it some false light, yet<\/span>16<\/sup><\/a><\/span> went to see.
\nAnd when they came, she turned her eyes aside,
\nSpread forth her arms, then stretched, and sighed, and died.
\nThe frighted virgins ran with panting breath<\/span>17<\/sup><\/a><\/span>
\nTo tell the sadder story of her death,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 50
\nThe whilst the flowers to her rescue bend,<\/span>18<\/sup><\/a><\/span>
\nAnd all their med\u2019cinable virtues send.
\nBut all in vain: their power\u2019s too weak; each head
\nThen drooped, seeing<\/span>19<\/sup><\/a><\/span> they could not help the dead.
\nTheir fresher colors did<\/span>20<\/sup><\/a><\/span> no longer stay,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 55
\nBut faded straight and withered all away.
\nFor tears they dropped their leaves, and thought it meet
\nTo strew her with them as her<\/span>21<\/sup><\/a><\/span> winding sheet.
\nThe airy<\/span>22<\/sup><\/a><\/span> choristers hovered above,
\nAnd sang<\/span>23<\/sup><\/a><\/span> her last sad funeral song of love.<\/span>24<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 60
\nThe Earth grew proud, now having so much honor,
\nThat odoriferous<\/span>25<\/sup><\/a><\/span> corpse lying<\/span>26<\/sup><\/a><\/span> upon her.
\nWhen that pure virgin\u2019s stuff dissolved in dew,<\/span>27<\/sup><\/a><\/span>
\nWas the first cause new births of flowers grew,
\nAnd added sweets to those it did renew.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 65
\nThe grosser parts the curious soon did take;
\nOf it transparent porcelain<\/span>28<\/sup><\/a><\/span> they did make.
\nHer purer dust they keep for to refine
\nBest poets verse and gild their<\/span>29<\/sup><\/a><\/span> every line.<\/span>30<\/sup><\/a><\/span>
\nAnd all poetic flames she did inspire,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 70
\nSo her name lives in that eternal fire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The next, a virgin\u2019s turn a tale to tell, For youth and modesty did fit it well. A company of virgins young did meet; Their pastime was to gather flowers sweet. They white straw hats upon their heads did wear, And falling feathers, which waved with the air, Fanning their faces like a Zephyrus wind,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 … Continue reading The Surprisal of Death (from Nature’s Picture(s))<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[244],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bonus-poems"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2741"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2746,"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2741\/revisions\/2746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library2.utm.utoronto.ca\/poemsandfancies\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}