to
Literary Companion allusions page
The
Poplar Field
by William Cowper
1784
to
Literary Companion allusions page
The
Poplar Field
by William Cowper
1784
Twelve years
have elaps’d since I last took a view
Of my favourite
field and the bank where they grew,
And now in
the grass behold they are laid,
And the tree
is my seat that once lent me a shade.
The blackbird
has fled to another retreat
Where the hazels
afford him a screen from the heat,
And the scene
where his melody charm’d me before,
Resounds with
his sweet-flowing ditty no more.
My fugitive
years are all hasting away,
And I must
ere long lie as lowly as they,
With a turf
on my breast, and a stone at my head,
Ere another
such grove shall arise in its stead.
‘Tis a sight
to engage me, if any thing can,
To muse on
the perishing pleasures of man;
Though his
life be a dream, his enjoyments, I see,
Have a being
less durable even than he.
to
Literary Companion allusions pageThe
Lily and The Rose
by William Cowper
The nymph must
lose her female friend,
If more admired
than she --
But where will
fierce contention end,
If flowers
can disagree.
Within the garden's
peaceful scene
Appear'd two
lovely foes,
Aspiring to
the rank of queen,
The Lily and
the Rose.
The Rose soon
redden'd into rage,
And, swelling
with disdain,
Appeal'd to
many a poet's page
To prove her
right to reign.
The Lily's height
bespoke command,
A fair imperial
flower;
She seem'd
designed for Flora's hand,
The sceptre
of her power.
The civil bick'ring
and debate
The goddess
chanced to hear,
And flew to
save, ere yet too late,
The pride of
the parterre.
Yours is, she
said, the nobler hue,
And yours the
statelier mien;
And, till a
third surpasses you,
Let each be
deemed a queen.
Thus, soothed
and reconciled, each seeks
The fairest
British fair:
The seat of
empire is her cheeks,
They reign
united there.
