Classic Poem

Who in the world with busy reason pryes,
Searching the seed of things, & there descryes
With what defect labours th' Ecclipsed moon,
What cause commands a palenesse in the Sun,
Whence ruddy comets with their fatall haire,
Whence winds doe flow, and what the Motions are
That shake the bowels of the trembling earth;
What strikes the lightning forth; whence clouds give birth
To horrid thunders; and doth also know
What light lends lustre to the painted Bow:
If ought of truth his soule doth understand,
Let him resolve a question I'le demand:
There is a stone which we the loadstone stile,
Of colour ugly, darke, obscure, and vile:
It never deck'd the sleiked locks of Kings,
No Ornament, no gorgeous Tire it brings
To Virgins beauteous necks, it never showne
A splendent buckle in their maiden zone:
But only heare the wonders I will tell
Of this black peeble, and 'twill then excell
All bracelets, and what e're the diving Moore
'Mongst the red weeds seeks for 'ith Easterne shore:
From Iron first it lives, Iron it eats,
But that sweet feast it knows no other meats;
Thence shee renews her strength, vigor is sent
Through all her nerves by that hard nourishment;
Without that food shee dies, a famine numm's
Her meager joynts, a thirst her veins consumes.
Mars that frights Cities with his bloody speares,
And Venus that releases humane feares,
Doe both together in one Temple shine,
Both joyntly honour'd in a common shrine;
But different Statues, Mars a steele put on,
And Venus figure was Magnetique stone.
To them (as is the custome every yeare)
The Preist doth celebrate a Nuptiall there.
The torch the Quire doth lead, the threshold's green
With hallowed Mirtles, and the beds are seen
To smell with rosy flowers, the Geniall sheet
Spred over with a purple Coverlet.
But heare (strange) the statues seem'd to move,
And Cytherea runs to catch her Love;
And like their former joyes in heaven possest,
With wanton heat clings to her Mars'es brest;
There hangs a gratefull burden; then shee throwes
Her armes about his helmet, to Inclose
Her Love in amorous Gives, least he get out,
Here live embraces chaine him round about.
He stir'd with love breath'd gently through his veins,
Is drawne by unseene links and secret chaines
To meet his spoused Gemme; the ayre doth wed
The steele unto the stone; thus strangely led
The Deities their stolne delights replay'd,
And only Nature was the bridall mayd.
What heat in these two Metals did inspire
Such mutuall league? what concords powrefull fire
Contracted their hard minds? the stone doth move
With amorous heat, the steele doth learne to love.
So Venus oft the God of warre withstood,
And gives him milder looks; when hot with blood
He rages to the fight, fierce with desire,
And with drawn points whets up his active Ire;
She dares goe forth alone, and boldly meet
His foaming steeds, and with a winning greet
The tumour of his high swolne breast asswage,
Tempring with gentle flames his violent rage.
Peace courts his soule, the fight he disavows,
And his red plumes he now to kisses bows.
Ah cruell Boy large thy dominions bee,
The Gods and all their Thunders yeild to thee;
Great Jove to leave his heaven thou can'st constraine,
And midst the brinish waves to Lowe again.
Now the cold Rocks thou striks't, the senceless stone
Thy weapon feeles, a lustfull heat doth runne
Through veins of flint, the steele thy Pow'er can tame;
And rigid Marble must admit thy flame.