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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
AN EPIGRAM. TO THE SMALL-POX, by BEN JONSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Envious and foul disease, could there not be Last Line: And scorned, thou hast shown thy malice, but hast failed. | |||
Envious and foul disease, could there not be One beauty in an age, and free from thee? What did she worth thy spite? Were there not store Of those that set by their false faces more Than this did by her true? She never sought Quarrel with Nature, or in balance brought Art, her false servant; nor, for Sir Hugh Plat, Was drawn to practise other hue, than that Her own blood gave her: she ne'er had, nor hath Any belief, in Madam Baud-bee's bath, Or Turner's oil of Talc. Nor ever got Spanish receipt, to make her teeth to rot. What was the cause then? Thought'st thou in disgrace Of beauty, so to nullify a face, That heaven should make no more; or should amiss Make all hereafter, had'st thou ruined this? Ay, that thy aim was; but her fate prevailed: And scorned, thou hast shown thy malice, but hast failed. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 4. HER TRIUMPH by BEN JONSON A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 5. HIS DISCOURSE WITH CUPID by BEN JONSON A FIT OF RHYME AGAINST RHYME [OR, RIME] by BEN JONSON A NYMPH'S PASSION by BEN JONSON A SONNET, TO THE NOBLE LADY, THE LADY MARY WROTH by BEN JONSON AN ODE TO HIMSELF by BEN JONSON ANSWER TO MASTER WITHER'S SONG, 'SHALL I, WASTING IN DESPAIR?' by BEN JONSON EPICOENE; OR, THE SILENT WOMAN: FREEDOM IN DRESS by BEN JONSON EPIGRAM: 118. ON GUT by BEN JONSON |
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