William Cowper
William Cowper
William Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet", whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired his poem Yardley-Oak. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth26 November 1731
drop half pause puff sentence solemn time
The pipe, with solemn interposing puff,Makes half a sentence at a time enough;The dozing sages drop the drowsy strain,Then pause, and puff -- and speak, and pause again.
alone carry choose lesson marry misses proper relate seems tale time
Misses the tale that I relate - This lesson seems to carry - Choose not alone a proper mate, But proper time to marry
chase hunt start syllable time
Philologists who chase / A panting syllable through time and space, / Start it at home, and hunt it in the dark, / To Gaul, to Greece, and into Noah's ark.
anticipate blood brighter claim divinely earn ensure equal feed few immortal liberty loved martyrs noblest remember spent struggle sweets time walk win
A patriot's blood,Well spent in such a strife, may earn indeed,And for a time ensure to his loved land,The sweets of liberty and equal laws;But martyrs struggle for a brighter prize,And win it with more pain. Their blood is shedIn confirmation of the noblest claim --Our claim to feed upon immortal truth,To walk with God, to be divinely free,To soar, and to anticipate the skies.Yet few remember them.
anticipate blood brighter claim divinely earn ensure equal feed few immortal liberty loved martyrs noblest remember shed spent struggle sweets time truth walk win
A patriot's blood, Well spent in such a strife, may earn indeed, And for a time ensure to his loved land, The sweets of liberty and equal laws; But martyrs struggle for a brighter prize, And win it with more pain. Their blood is shed In confirmation of the noblest claim -- Our claim to feed upon immortal truth, To walk with God, to be divinely free, To soar, and to anticipate the skies. Yet few remember them.
time guests fit
Visits are insatiable devourers of time, and fit only for those who, if they did not that, would do nothing.
time wings sound
Time, as he passes us, has a dove's wing, Unsoil'd, and swift, and of a silken sound.
taught
With outstretched hoe I slew him at the door, / And taught him NEVER TO COME THERE NO MORE.
above repose
Without one friend, above all foes, Britannia give the world repose
bird supposed
There is a bird who by his coat,And by the hoarseness of his note,Might be supposed a crow.
aching hours left memory peaceful sweet void
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! / How sweet their memory still! / But they have left an aching void / The world can never fill.
english-poet gives spice
Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour.
fit insatiable visitors
Visitors are insatiable devourers of time, and fit only for those who, if they did not visit, would do nothing
clubs diamond spots typical
With spots quadrangular of diamond form,/ Ensanguined hearts, clubs typical of strife, / And spades, the emblem of untimely graves.