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Epigrams

by
John Donne
a 1631

HERO AND LEANDER

BOTH rob'd of aire, we both lye in one ground,
Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drownd.

PYRAMUS AND THISBE

TWO, by themselves, each other, love and feare
Slaine, cruell friends, by parting have joyn'd here.

NIOBE

BY Childrens births, and death, I am become
So dry, that I am now mine owne sad tombe.

A BURNT SHIP

OUT of a fired ship, which, by no way
But drowning, could be rescued from the flame,
Some men leap'd forth, and ever as they came
Neere the foes ships, did by their shot decay;
So all were lost, which in the ship were found,
    They in the sea being burnt, they in the burnt ship drown'd.

FALL OF A WALL

UNDER an undermined, and shot-bruis'd wall
A too-bold Captaine perish'd by the fall,
Whose brave misfortune, happiest men envi'd,
That had a towne for tombe, his bones to hide.

A LAME BEGGAR

I AM unable, yonder beggar cries,
To stand, or move; if he say true, hee lies.

CALES AND GUYANA

IF you from spoyle of th'old worlds farthest end
To the new world your kindled valors bend,
What brave examples then do prove it trew
That one things end doth still beginne a new.

SIR JOHN WINGEFIELD

BEYOND th'old Pillers many have travailed
Towards the Suns cradle, and his throne, and bed.
A fitter Piller our Earle did bestow
In that late Island; for he well did know
Farther than Wingefield no man dares to goe.

A SELFE ACCUSER

YOUR mistris, that you follow whores, still taxeth you:
'Tis strange that she should thus confesse it, though'it be true.

A LICENTIOUS PERSON

THY sinnes and haires may no man equall call,
For, as thy sinnes increase, thy haires doe fall.

ANTIQUARY

IF in his Studie he hath so much care
To'hang all old strange things, let his wife beware.

DISINHERITED

THY father all from thee, by his last Will,
Gave to the poore; Thou hast good title still.

PHRYNE

THY  flattering picture, Phryne, is like thee,
Onely in this, that you both painted be.

AN OBSCURE WRITER

PHILO, with twelve yeares study, hath beene griev'd
To be understood; when will hee be beleev'd?

KLOCKIUS

KLOCKIUS so deeply hath sworn, ne'r more to come
In bawdie house, that hee dares not goe home.

RADERUS

WHY  this man gelded Martiall I muse,
Except himselfe alone his tricks would use,
As  Katherine, for the Courts sake, put downe Stewes.

MERCURIUS GALLO-BELGICUS

LIKE Esops fellow-slaves, O Mercury,
Which could do all things, thy faith is; and I
Like  Esops selfe, which nothing, I confesse
I should have had more faith, if thou hadst lesse;
Thy credit lost thy credit: 'Tis sinne to doe,
In this case, as thou wouldst be done unto,
To beleeve all: Change thy name: thou art like
Mercury in stealing, but lyest like a Greeke.

RALPHIUS

COMPASSION in the world againe is bred:
Ralphius  is sick, the broker keeps his bed.

THE LIER

THOU in the fields walkst out thy supping howers
    And yet thou swear'st thou hast supp'd like a king:
Like Nebuchadnezar perchance with grass and flowers,
    A sallet worse than Spanish dyeting.