Abraham Cowley
Abraham Cowley
Abraham Cowleywas an English poet born in the City of London late in 1618. He was one of the leading English poets of the 17th century, with 14 printings of his Works published between 1668 and 1721...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
yesterday yield gone
Our yesterday's to-morrow now is gone, And still a new to-morrow does come on. We by to-morrow draw out all our store, Till the exhausted well can yield no more.
age age-and-aging forever shall
What shall I do to be forever known,/ And make the age to come my own?
contempt english-poet grant lie low means
This only grant me, that my means may lie too low for envy, for contempt too high.
both eyes kisses lips love outward parts pleasant sunny thousand walks
Love in her sunny eyes does basking play;/ Love walks the pleasant mazes of her hair;/ Love does on both her lips for ever stray;/ And sows and reaps a thousand kisses there./ In all her outward parts Love's always seen;/ But, oh, he never went within.
creature drink man
For why / Should every creature drink but I, / Why, man of morals, tell me why?
ancient arms eagles field fields guided lions noble please spread talk
We may talk as we please of lilies, and lions rampant, and spread eagles in fields of d'or or d'argent, but if heraldry were guided by reason, a plough in the field arable would be the most noble and ancient arms
great
Hail, old patrician trees, so great and good!
busy shall
Well then; I now do plainly see, / This busy world and I shall ne'er agree.
hopeless
Hope is the most hopeless thing of all.
lovers silent mute
Why to mute fish should'st thou thyself discoverAnd not to me, thy no less silent lover?
sea land israel
When Israel was from bondage led,Led by the Almighty's handFrom out of foreign land,The great sea beheld and fled.
humble inspire may
Awake, awake, my Lyre!And tell thy silent master's humble taleIn sounds that may prevail;Sounds that gentle thoughts inspire:Though so exalted sheAnd I so lowly beTell her, such different notes make all thy harmony.
sleep thinking naps
The Sunflow'r, thinking 'twas for him foul shame To nap by daylight, strove t' excuse the blame; It was not sleep that made him nod, he said, But too great weight and largeness of his head.
age reputation known
What shall I do to be for ever known, And make the age to come my own?