Short Poems

Stay, Stranger, here, in this Apartment stand,
And view the Wonders of great Raphael 's Hand;
Whose Skill do's all the Sons of Art controul,
They only paint the Body, he the Soul.
Such Admiration will thy Eyes possess,
As none but Raphael 's Pencil can express.

Englished.

Sylo pray pay me my ten Sesterces ,
Then rant and roar as much as you shall please,
Or if that mony takes you, pray give ore
To be a pimp, or else to rant and roar.

Englished.

No one can boast her self so much belov'd,
Truely as Lesbia my affections prov'd;
No faith was ere with such a firm knot bound
As in my love on my part I have found.

Englished.

Quintia is handsome, fair, tall, straight, all these
Very particulars I grant with ease:
But she all ore's not handsome; here's her fault,
In all that bulk, there's not one corne of salt,
Whilst Lesbia fair and handsome too all ore
All graces and all wit from all hath bore.

Englished.

I hate and love, wouldst thou the reason know?
I know not, but I burn and feel it so.

To Quintius.

Quintius if you'll endear Catullus eyes,
Or what he dearer then his eyes doth prize,
Ravish not what is dearer then his eyes,
Or what he dearer then his eyes doth prize.

Englished.

By thy fault is my mind brought to that pass,
That it it's Office quite forgotten has;
For be'est thou best, I cannot wish thee well,
And be'est thou worst, yet must I love thee still.

Female Inconstancy.

My Mistresse sayes she'll marry none but me,
No not if Jove himself a Suitor be:
She sayes so; but what women say to kind
Lovers, we write in rapid streams and wind.

POET

You have escaped the comedy
Of swift, pretentious praise and blame,
And smashed a tavern where they sell
The harlot's wine that men call fame.

And lo! while all men come and pass away,
That Phantom of the Christ, forlorn and grey,
Haunteth the Earth with desolate footfall. . . .

God help the Christ, that Christ may help us all!