Robert Herrick
Robert Herrick
Robert Herrickwas a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is best known for Hesperides, a book of poems. This includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time", with the first line "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may"...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth24 August 1591
bid eyes
Bid me to weep, and I will weep, / While I have eyes to see.
attend befriend elves eyes lend sparks whose
Her eyes the glow-worm lend thee, / The shooting-stars attend thee; / And the elves also,/ Whose little eyes glow, / Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee.
exalted head laid star
And once more yet (ere I am laid out dead)Knock at a star with my exalted head
according fortunes labor pains
If little labor, little are our gains; man's fortunes are according to his pains
bridal sing
I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds, and bowers: / Of April, May, of June, and July-flowers. / I sing of maypoles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes, / Of bridegrooms, brides, and of their bridal cakes.
time doe succeed
Thus times do shift, each thing his turn does hold; New things succeed, as former things grow old.
pity snares
None pities him that is in the snare, who warned before, would not beware.
sweet kissing glue
What is a kiss? Why this, as some approve: the sure, sweet cement, glue, and lime of love.
kissing air desire
I dare not ask a kiss; I dare not beg a smile; Lest having that or this, I might grow proud the while. No, no, the utmost share Of my desire shall be Only to kiss that air, That lately kissed thee.
punishment littles endure
Who with a little cannot be content, endures an everlasting punishment.
greed slave evermore
Who covets more is evermore a slave.
lips rubies jewelry
Some asked me where the rubies grew, And nothing I did say; But with my finger pointed to The lips of Julia.
sincere candor evermore
Things are evermore sincere; / Candor here, and lustre there / Delighting.
kissing white eggs
Fain would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg, Which is as white and hairless as an egg.