A poem by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) , the greatest English poet of “Augustan” or Georgian period
Semichorus.
Oh Tyrant Love! hast thou possest
The prudent, learn’d, and virtuous breast?
Wisdom and wit in vain reclaim,
And Arts but soften us to feel thy flame.
Love, soft intruder, enters here,
But ent’ring learns to be sincere.
Marcus with blushes owns he loves,
And Brutus tenderly reproves.
Why, Virtue, dost thou blame desire,
Which Nature has imprest?
Why, Nature, dost thou soonest fire
The mild and gen’rous breast?
Chorus.
Love’s purer flames the Gods approve;
The Gods and Brutus bent to love:
Brutus for absent Portia sighs,
And sterner Cassius melts at Junia’s eyes.
What is loose love? a transient gust,
Spent in a sudden storm of lust,
A vapour fed from wild desire,
A wand’ring, self-consuming fire,
But Hymen’s kinder flames unite;
And burn for ever one;
Chaste as cold Cynthia’s virgin light,
Productive as the Sun.
Semichorus.
Oh source of ev’ry social tie,
United wish, and mutual joy!
What various joys on one attend,
As son, as father, brother husband, friend?
Whether his hoary sire he spies,
While thousand grateful thoughts arise;
Or meets his spouse’s fonder eye;
Or views his smiling progeny;
What tender passions take their turns,
What home-felt raptures move?
His heart now melts, now leaps, now burns,
With rev’rence, hope, and love.
Chorus.
Hence guilty joys, distastes, surmises,
Hence false tears, deceits, disguises,
Dangers, doubts, delays, surprises;
Fires that scorch, yet dare not shine
Purest love’s unwasting treasure,
Constant faith, fair hope, long leisure,
Days of ease, and nights of pleasure;
Sacred Hymen! these are thine.

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External links
Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry by Fledermaus
Talking Writing Monster’s Page –
Batty Writing – the bat’s idle chatter, thoughts, ideas and observations, all original, all fresh
Poems in English
- Lines on the Fall of Fyers by Robert Burns
- Lines on the Author’s Death by Robert Burns
- Lines on Meeting with Lord Daer by Robert Burns
- Lines on Fergusson, the Poet by Robert Burns
- Lines Inscribed under Fergusson’s Portrait by Robert Burns
- Lines Inscribed in a Lady’s Pocket Almanack by Robert Burns
- Lament For Culloden by Robert Burns
- John Barleycorn: A Ballad by Robert Burns
- John Barleycorn by Robert Burns
- John Anderson by Robert Burns
- Inscription to Miss Graham of Fintry by Robert Burns
- Inscription to Jessie Lewars by Robert Burns
- Inscription to Chloris by Robert Burns
- inscription on Mr. Syme’s crystal goblet by Robert Burns
- Inscription for the Headstone of Fergusson the Poet by Robert Burns
- Inscription at Friars’ Carse Hermitage by Robert Burns
- Inscribed on a Work of Hannah More’s by Robert Burns
- Impromptu on Mrs. Riddell’s Birthday by Robert Burns
- Impromptu on Carron Iron Works by Robert Burns
- Impromptu Lines to Captain Riddell by Robert Burns
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Parallel Translations of Poetry
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Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744) was a a post-Restoration English poet and satirist. He is a poet of the (British) Augustan period and one of its greatest artistic exponents.