Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO HIS LADY, THEN MISTRESS CARY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Retired, with purpose your fair worth to praise
Last Line: Cary my love is, daphne but my tree.'
Subject(s): Cary, Anne; Uvedale, Sir William (d. 1652)


Retired, with purpose your fair worth to praise,
'Mongst Hampton shades, and Phoebus' grove of bays,
I plucked a branch; the jealous god did frown,
And bad me lay the usurped laurel down:
Said I wronged him, and (which was more) his love.
I answered, 'Daphne now no pain can prove.'
Phoebus replied: 'Bold head, it is not she:
Cary my love is, Daphne but my tree.'





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...



Home: PoetryExplorer.net