Barley-break; or, last in hell

Robert Herrick 1591 (London) – 1674 (Dean Prior)



We two are last in hell; what may we fear
To be tormented or kept pris'ners here I
Alas!  if kissing be of plagues the worst,
We'll wish in hell we had been last and first.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

12 sec read
36

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCC
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 177
Words 38
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 4

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was born in London, England, in 1591. He was apprenticed to a goldsmith (his uncle, Sir William), but went to Cambridge, at St John's, in 1613. He was ordained at Peterborough in 1623 and became chaplain to the Duke of Buckingham a few years later. "Hesperides" - a collection of 1200 lyrical poems - was published in 1648 and it remained his magnum opus. Herrick died in 1674, aged 83. more…

All Robert Herrick poems | Robert Herrick Books

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