263 A WIDOW BIRD A WIDOW bird sat mourning for her love The frozen wind crept on above, There was no leaf upon the forest bare, No flower upon the ground, And little motion in the air Except the mill-wheel's sound. PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY 264 ECHO'S LAMENT FOR NARCISSUS SLOW, Slow, fresh fount, keep time with my salt tears; List to the heavy part the music bears; Woe weeps out her division when she sings. Fall grief in showers, Our beauties are not ours; O, I could still, Like melting snow upon some craggy hill, Drop, drop, drop, drop, Since nature's pride is now a withered daffodil. 265 BEN JONSON THIS LIFE THIS Life, which seems so fair, Who chase it everywhere, And strive who can most motion it bequeath. Like to an eye of gold to be fixed there, 266 That only is because it is so light. But in that pomp it doth not long appear; WILLIAM DRUMMOND SWEET CONTENT ART thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers? Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexed? Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexed Work apace, apace, apace, apace; Canst drink the waters of the crispèd spring? Swimm'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears? Then he that patiently want's burden bears, Work apace, apace, apace, apace; THOMAS DEKKER 267 OH, SWEET CONTENT OH, sweet content, that turns the labourer's sweat 1 Once |