Living

Crutches.

by Robert Herrick 1591–1674

From Hesperides (1648)

Living

THou seest me Lucia this year droope,
Three Zodiaks fill'd more I shall stoope;
Let Crutches then provided be
To shore up my debilitie.
Then while thou laugh'st; Ile, sighing, crie,
A Ruine underpropt am I:
Do'n will I then my Beadsmans gown,
And when so feeble I am grown,
As my weake shoulders cannot beare
The burden of a Grashopper:
Yet with the bench of aged sires,
When I and they keep tearmly fires;
With my weake voice Ile sing, or say
Some Odes I made of Lucia:
Then will I heave my wither'd hand
To Jove the Mighty for to stand
Thy faithfull friend, and to poure downe
Upon thee many a Benizon.

MLA

Herrick, Robert. “Crutches.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/982/.

Chicago

Herrick, Robert. “Crutches.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/982/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Robert Herrick