Epigram
Thomas Parnell 1679 (Dublin) – 1718
The greatest Gifts that Nature does bestow,
Can't unassisted to Perfection grow:
A scanty Fortune clips the Wings of Fame,
And checks the Progress of a rising Name;
Each dastard Vertue drags a Captive's Chain,
And moves but slowly, for it moves with Pain.
Domestick Cares sit hard upon the Mind,
And cramp those Thoughts which shou'd be unconfin'd;
The Cries of Poverty alarm the Soul,
Abate its Vigour, its Designs controul:
The Stings of Want inflict the Wounds of Death,
And Motion always ceases with the Breath.
The Love of Friends is found a languid Fire,
That glares but faintly, and will soon expire;
Weak is its Force, nor can its Warmth be great,
A feeble Light begets a feeble Heat.
Wealth is the Fuel that must feed the Flame,
It dyes in Rags, and scarce deserves a Name.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 43 sec read
- 108 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | AABBCCDDEEFFGHIJBB |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 774 |
Words | 142 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 18 |
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"Epigram" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/37005/epigram>.
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