Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/417

 RICHARD LOVELACE

Stone walls do not a prison make,

Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take

That for an hermitage; If I have freedom in my love

And in my soul am free, Angels alone, that soar above,

Enjoy such liberty.

ABRAHAM COWLEY. , ff

Anacreontics i. Drinhng

THE thirsty earth soaks up the rain, And drinks and gapes for drink again; The plants suck in the earth, and arc With constant drinking fresh and fair, The sea itself (which one would think Should have but little need of drink) Drinks twice ten thousand rivers up, So filPd that they o'erflow the cup. The busy Sun (and one would guess By 's drunken fiery face no less) Drinks up the sea, and when he 's done, The Moon and Stars drink up the Sun* They drink and dance by their own light, They drink and revel all the night: Nothing in Nature 's sober found, But an eternal health goes round. Fill up the bowl, then, fill it high, Fill all the glasses there for why Should every creature drink but 1^ Why, man of mor.ils, tell me why ?

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