Polyhymnia: Sonnet

George Peele 1556 (London) – 1596 (London)



His golden locks time hath to silver turn'd;
O time too swift, O swiftness never ceasing!
His youth 'gainst time and age hath ever spurn'd,
But spurn'd in vain; youth waneth by increasing:
Beauty, strength, youth, are flowers but fading seen;
Duty, faith, love, are roots, and ever green.

His helmet now shall make a hive for bees;
And lovers' sonnets turn'd to holy psalms,
A man-at-arms must now serve on his knees,
And feed on prayers, which are age his alms:
But though from court to cottage he depart,
His saint is sure of his unspotted heart.

And when he saddest sits in homely cell,
He'll teach his swains this carol for a song:
"Blest be the hearts that wish my sovereign well,
Curst be the souls that think her any wrong."
Goddess, allow this aged man his right,
To be your beadsman now that was your knight.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

46 sec read
116

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCC DEDEFF GHGHII
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 808
Words 152
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6

George Peele

George Peele was an English translator, poet, and dramatist, who is most noted for his collaboration with William Shakespeare on the play Titus Andronicus. more…

All George Peele poems | George Peele Books

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