Love

Ode (The Day is set did Earth adorn)

by Charles Cotton 1630–1687

From Poems on Several Occasions (1689)

Love

The Day is set did Earth adorn,
To drink the brewing of the Main,
And, hot with travel, will e're Morn
Carouse it to an ebb again,

Then let us drink, Time to improve,
Secure of Cromwel and his Spies,
Night will conceal our Healths, and Love
For all her thousand thousand Eyes.

Cho: Then let us drink secure of spies
To Phaebus, and his Second rise.

Without the Evening dew, and show'rs,
The Earth would be a barren place,
Of Trees, and Plants, of Herbs, and Flow'rs,
To crown her now enamell'd Face;

Nor can Wit spring, or Fancies grow,
Unless we dew our heads in Wine,
Plump Autumn's wealthy overflow,
And sprightly Issue of the Vine.

Cho: Then let us drink secure of spies
To Phaebus, and his Second rise.

Wine is the cure of Cares, and Sloth,
That rust the Metal of the Mind,
The Iuice, that Man to Man does, both
In Freedom, and in Friendship bind.

This clears the Monarchs cloudy brows,
And chears the Hearts of sullen Swains,
To wearied Souls repose allows,
And makes Slaves caper in their chains.

Cho: Then let us drink secure of spies
To Phaebus, and his Second rise.

Wine, that distributes to each part
Its heat and Motion, is the Spring,
The Poets Head, the Subjects Heart,
'T was Wine made old Anacreon sing.

Then let us quaff it, whilst the Night
Serves but to hide such guilty Souls,
As fly the beauty of the Light;
Or dare not pledge our Loyal Bowls.

Cho: Then let us Revel, Quaff, and Sing,
Health, and his Scepter to the King.

MLA

Cotton, Charles. “Ode (The Day is set did Earth adorn).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/cotton/148/.

Chicago

Cotton, Charles. “Ode (The Day is set did Earth adorn).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/cotton/148/.

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