Classic and Contemporary Poetry
UPON A WASP CHILLED WITH COLD, by EDWARD TAYLOR Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The bear that breaths the northern blast Last Line: And heavenly musick, furr'd with praise. Variant Title(s): Upon A Wasp Child With Cold Subject(s): Puritans In Literature; Sickness; Wasps; Illness; Yellow Jackets | ||||||||
The Bear that breaths the Northern blast Did numb, Torpedo-like, a Wasp Whose stiffend limbs encrampt, lay bathing In Sol's warm breath and shine as saving, Which with her hands she chafes and slams Rubbing her Legs, Shanks, Thighs, and hands. Her petty toes, and fingers ends Nipt with this breath, she out extends Unto the sun, in greate desire To warm her digits at that fire: Doth hold her Temples in this state Where pulse doth beate, and head doth ake: Doth turn and stretch her body small, Doth comb her velvet capitall As if her little brain-pan were A Volume of choice precepts cleare: As if her sattin jacket hot Contained Apothecaries Shop Of Natures recepts, that prevails To remedy all her sad ailes, As if her velvet helmet high Did turret rationality. She fans her wing up to the winde As if her Pettycoate were lin'de With reasons fleece, and hoises saile And humming flies in thankfull gaile Unto her dun curld palace Hall, Her warm thanks offering for all. Lord, cleare my misted sight that I May hence view thy Divinity, Some sparkes whereof thou up dost hasp Within this little downy Wasp, In whose small Corporation wee A school and a schoolmaster see: Where we may learn, and easily finde A nimble Spirit, bravely minde Her worke in ev'ry limb: and lace It up neate with a vitall grace, Acting each part though ne'er so small, Here of this fustian animall, Till I enravisht climb into The Godhead on this ladder doe: Where all my pipes inspir'de upraise And Heavenly musick, furr'd with praise. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BOTTLING OF THE WASP by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY SWEET ROUMANIAN TONGUE by JAMES SCHUYLER POEM FOR ADLAI STEVENSON AND YELLOW JACKETS by DAVID YOUNG THE ANT-LION by THOMAS MILLER (1807-1874) TRIOLET by EMILY JANE (DAVIS) PFEIFFER VICTORY SONG by GEORGE ADDISON SCARBROUGH THE WASP TRAP by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: CHRIST'S REPLY by EDWARD TAYLOR GOD'S DETERMINATIONS: THE JOY OF CHURCH FELLOWSHIP RIGHTLY ATTENDED by EDWARD TAYLOR |
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