Living

From Petronius

by Richard Crashaw 1613–1649

From Complete Works, ed. Grosart (1872), vol. I

Living

The bird that's fetch't from Phasis floud,
Or choicest hennes of Africk-brood;
These please our palates; and why these?
'Cause they can but seldome please.
Whil'st the goose soe goodly white,
And the drake, yeeld noe delight,
Though his wings' conceited hewe
Paint each feather, as if new.
These for vulgar stomacks be,
And rellish not of rarity.
But the dainty Scarus, sought
In farthest clime; what e're is bought
With shipwrack's toile, oh, that is sweet,
'Cause the quicksands hansell'd it.
The pretious barbill, now growne rife,
Is cloying meat. How stale is wife?
Deare wife hath ne're a handsome letter,
Sweet mistris sounds a great deale better.
Rose quakes at name of cinnamon.
Unlesse't be rare, what's thought vpon?

✦ ✦ ✦

After Petronius

MLA

Crashaw, Richard. “From Petronius.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/crashaw/133/.

Chicago

Crashaw, Richard. “From Petronius.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/crashaw/133/.

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