Living

Leprosie in houses.

by Robert Herrick 1591–1674

From Hesperides (1648)

Living

WHen to a House I come, and see
The Genius wastefull, more then free:
The servants thumblesse, yet to eat,
With lawlesse tooth the floure of wheate:
The Sonnes to suck the milke of Kine,
More then the teats of Discipline:
The Daughters wild and loose in dresse;
Their cheekes unstain'd with shamefac'tnesse:
The Husband drunke, the Wife to be
A Band to incivility:
I must confesse, I there descrie,
A House spred through with Leprosie.

MLA

Herrick, Robert. “Leprosie in houses.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/1013/.

Chicago

Herrick, Robert. “Leprosie in houses.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/1013/.

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