A Song. Fair, Sweet And Young, Receive A Prize

John Dryden 1631 (Aldwincle) – 1631 (London)



1.
Fair, sweet, and young, receive a prize
Reserved for your victorious eyes:
From crowds, whom at your feet you see,
O pity, and distinguish me!
As I from thousand beauties more
Distinguish you, and only you adore.

2.
Your face for conquest was design'd,
Your every motion charms my mind;
Angels, when you your silence break,
Forget their hymns, to hear you speak;
But when at once they hear and view,
Are loth to mount, and long to stay with you.

3.
No graces can your form improve,
But all are lost, unless you love;
While that sweet passion you disdain,
Your veil and beauty are in vain:
In pity then prevent my fate,
For after dying all reprieve's too late.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

37 sec read
126

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBCCDD AEEXXFF AXXGGHH
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 650
Words 124
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 7, 7, 7

John Dryden

John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made Poet Laureate in 1668. more…

All John Dryden poems | John Dryden Books

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