Nature

The Butterfly

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772–1834

From Poems of Coleridge, selected by Arthur Symons (1905)

Nature

The Butterfly the ancient Grecians made
The soul's fair emblem, and its only name--
But of the soul, escaped the slavish trade
Of earthly life!--For in this mortal frame
Our's is the reptile's lot, much toil, much blame,
Manifold motions making little speed,
And to deform and kill the things whereon we feed.

MLA

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “The Butterfly.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/coleridge/46/.

Chicago

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “The Butterfly.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/coleridge/46/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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