Living
The Peter-penny.
From Hesperides (1648)
Living
FResh strowings allow
To my Sepulcher now,
To make my lodging the sweeter;
A staffe or a wand
Put then in my hand,
With a pennie to pay S. Peter.
Who has not a Crosse,
Must sit with the losse,
And no whit further must venture;
Since the Porter he
Will paid have his fee,
Or els not one there must enter.
Who at a dead lift,
Can't send for a gift
A Pig to the Priest for a Roster,
Shall heare his Clarke say,
By yea and by nay,
No pennie, no Pater Noster.
Cite this poem
MLA
Herrick, Robert. “The Peter-penny.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/771/.
Chicago
Herrick, Robert. “The Peter-penny.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/771/.
Read this poem with the Codex →