Luxurious Man, to bring his Vice in use,
Did after him the World seduce:
And from the Fields the Flow’rs and Plants allure,
Where Nature was most plain and pure.
He first enclos’d within the Gardens square
A dead and standing pool of Air:
And a more luscious Earth for them did knead,
Which stupifi’d them while it fed.
The Pink grew then as double as his Mind;
The nutriment did change the kind.
With strange perfumes he did the Roses taint.
And Flow’rs themselves were taught to paint.
The Tulip, white, did for complexion seek;
And learn’d to interline its cheek:
Its Onion root they then so high did hold,
That one was for a Meadow sold.
Another World was search’d, though Oceans new,
To find the Marvel Of Peru.
And yet these Rarities might be allow’d,
To Man, that Sov’raign thing and proud;
Had he not dealt between the Bark and Tree,
Forbidden mixtures there to see.
No Plant now knew the Stock from which it came;
He grafts upon the Wild the Tame:
That the uncertain and adult’rate fruit
Might put the Palate in dispute.
His green Seraglio has its Eunuchs too;
Lest any Tyrant him out-doe.
And in the Cherry he does Nature vex,
To procreate without a Sex.
‘Tis all enforc’d; the Fountain and the Grot;
While the sweet Fields do lye forgot:
Where willing Nature does to all dispence
A wild and fragrant Innocence:
And Fauns and Faryes do the Meadows till,
More by their presence then their skill.
Their Statues polish’d by some ancient hand,
May to adorn the Gardens stand:
But howso’ere the Figures do excel,
The Gods themselves with us do dwell.
(Andrew Marvell)
More Poetry from Andrew Marvell:
Andrew Marvell Poems based on Topics: Mind, Man, World, Nature, God, Money & Wealth, Tyranny & Despotism, Innocence, Sex- An Horation Ode Upon Cromwell's Return From Ireland (Andrew Marvell Poems)
- The Mower To The Glow-Worms (Andrew Marvell Poems)
- Young Love (Andrew Marvell Poems)
- Daphnis And Chloe (Andrew Marvell Poems)
- The First Anniversary Of The Government Under O.C. (Andrew Marvell Poems)
- Senec. Traged. Ex Thyeste Chor.2 (Andrew Marvell Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man Poems, God Poems, World Poems, Mind Poems, Nature Poems, Money & Wealth Poems, Tyranny & Despotism Poems, Innocence Poems, Sex PoemsBased on Keywords: taint, vice, lye, allure, sov, luscious, palate, tulip, seduce, eunuchs, fauns