Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ODE FOR THE FYRST OF MAYE, by JEAN PASSERAT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ODE FOR THE FYRST OF MAYE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Quit thy bed and sleepe of twilight
Last Line: That letteth love goe bye.
Subject(s): Love; Spring; Youth


QUIT thy bed and sleepe of twilight
On this tyde,
Nowe for us the dawn's red skylight
Opens wyde;
Heaven hath a smilynge face
Ever in this moone of grace;
Sweete, draw nigh!
Let us kindle love and kiss,
In this world he lives a-miss
That letteth love goe bye.

Come with me and leave the rabble;
Under trees
Let us hark the shy birdes babble
Melodies;
Let us listen to the stave
That the nightyngale soe suave
Doth prolong;
Ev'n as he doth with his voice
Banish sorrowe and rejoice;
Brief must be our song.

Tyme that wills not we should marry
And be blithe,
In his flight our youth doth harry
With his scythe.
Graye of hair, upon a daye
In thy sorrowe thou shalt saye
"Foolish girl!
Howe hast thou with sad unthrift
Squandered all thy beauty's gift
On old Tyme the churl!"

Leave we then our teares, and gather
Ere it fade,
The sweet flower of youth together,
Man and mayde;
Heaven hath a smilynge face
Ever in this moone of grace;
Sweete, draw nigh!
Let us kindle love and kiss.
In this world he lives a-miss
That letteth love goe bye.





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