Steps to the temple ; The delights of the Muses ; and, Carmen Deo Nostro by Ric. Crashaw ...
Crashaw, Richard, 1613?-1649., Crashaw, Richard, 1613?-1649. Delight of the Muses., Crashaw, Richard, 1613?-1649. Carmen Deo Nostro.
Page 6
The Tear.
1
WHat bright soft thing is this?
Sweet Mary thy fair Eyes expence?
A moist spark it is,
A watry Diamond; from whence
The very Term, I think, was found
The water of a Diamond.
2
O 'tis not a Tear,
'Tis a Star about to drop
From thine Eye its sphear;
The Sun will stoop and take it up.
Proud will his Sister be to wear
This thine Eyes Jewel in her Ear.
3
O 'tis a Tear,
Too true a Tear; for no sad Eyne,
How sad so e're,
Rain so true a Tear as thine;
Each Drop leaving a place so dear,
Weeps for it self, is its own Tear.
4
Such a Pearl as this is,
(Slipt from Aurora's dewy Brest)
The Rose-buds sweet Lip kisses;
And such the Rose its self when vext
With ungentle flames, does shed,
Sweating in too warm a Bed.
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Such the Maiden Gemme
By the wanton Spring put on,
Peeps from her Parent stemme,
And blushes on the watry Sun:
This watry Blossome of thy Eyne
Ripe, will make the richer Wine.
6
Fair Drop, why quak'st thou so?
'Cause thou streight must lay thy Head
In the Dust? O no;
The Dust shall never be thy Bed:
A Pillow for thee will I bring,
Stuft with Down of Angels wing.
7
Thus carried up on high,
(For to Heaven thou must go)
Sweetly shalt thou lye,
And in soft slumbers bath thy Woe;
Till the singing Orbs awake thee,
And one of their bright Chorus make thee.
8
There thy self shalt be
An Eye, but not a weeping one,
Yet I doubt of thee,
Whither th' hadst rather there have shone
An Eye of Heaven; or still shine here
In th' Heaven of Mary's eye, a Teare.
