THE GARDEN
by Andrew Marvell
How vainly men themselves amaze
To win the palm, the oak, or bays,
And their uncessant labour sees
Crowned from some single herb or tree,
Whose short and narrow verged shade
Does prudently their toils upbraid
While all flow'rs and trees do close
To weave the garland of repose.
Fair Quiet, have I found thee
here
And Innocence, thy sister dear!
Mistaken long, I sought you then
In busy companies of men.
Your sacred plants, if here below,
Only among the plants will grow.
Society is all but rude,
To this delicious solitude.
No white nor red was ever seen
So am'rous as this lovely green.
Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,
Cut in these trees their mistress'
name,
Little, alas, they know, or heed,
How far these beauties hers exceed!
Fair trees! Wheres'e'er your bark I
would,
No name shall but your own be
found.
When we have run our passion's
heat,
Love hither makes his best retreat.
The gods, that mortal beauty chase,
Still in a tree did end their race.
Apollo hunted Daphne so,
Only that she might laurel grow.
And Pan did after Syrinx speed,
Not as a nymph, but for a reed.
What wondrous life is this I
lead!
Ripe apples drop about my head;
The luscious clusters of the vine
Upon my mouth do crush their wine;
The nectarene, and curious peach,
Into my hands themselves do reach;
Stumbling on melons, as I pass,
Ensnared with flowers, I fall on
grass.
Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure
less,
Withdraws into its happiness;
The mind, that ocean where each kind
Does straight its own resemblance
find,
Yet it creates, transcending these,
Far other worlds, and other seas,
Annhilating all that's made
To a green thought in a green
shade.
Here at the fountain's sliding
foot,
Or at some fruit-tree's mossy root,
Casting the body's vest aside,
My soul into the boughs does slide;
There like a bird, it sits and sings,
Then whets, and combs its silver
wings;
And, till prepared for longer flight,
Waves in its plumes the various
light.
Such was the happy garden-state,
While man there walked without a mate:
After a place so pure, and sweet,
What other help could yet be meet!
But 'twas beyond a mortal's share
To wander solitary there:
Two paradises 'twere in one
To live in paradise alone.
How well the skillfull gardner
drew
Of flowers and herbs this dial knew,
Where from above this milder sun
Does through a fragrant zodiac run;
And, as it works, the industrious bee
Computes its time as well as we.
How could such sweet and whilesome
hours
Be reckoned but with herbs and
flowers!
from:
BBC
On-line Nature Poetry
Collection