Edward Dyer Poem
March 22nd 2008 06:51
This is a favorite poem of mine.
It comes from an anthology called
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE POETRY
A Collection of Shorter Poems from Skelton to Jonson.
Edited by John Williams. 1963.
THE LOWEST TREES HAVE TOPS (IP. 116 )
The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall,
The fly her spleen, the little spark his heat;
The slender hairs cast shadows, though but small,
And bees have stings, although they be not great;
Seas have their source, and so have shallow springs:
And love is love, in beggars and in kings.
Where waters smoothest run, there deepest are the fords;
The dial stirs, yet none perceives it move;
The firmest faith is found in fewest words;
The turtles do not sing, and yet they love;
True hearts have ears and eyes, no tongues to speak;
They hear and see, and sigh, and then they break.
Some Notes:
Dial is a sun dial.
"Turtles" means Turtle doves from Latin Turtilla!
Sir Edward Dyer lived from 1543 to 1607 and held minor posts at the court of Queen Elizabeth
It comes from an anthology called
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE POETRY
A Collection of Shorter Poems from Skelton to Jonson.
Edited by John Williams. 1963.
THE LOWEST TREES HAVE TOPS (IP. 116 )
The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall,
The fly her spleen, the little spark his heat;
The slender hairs cast shadows, though but small,
And bees have stings, although they be not great;
Seas have their source, and so have shallow springs:
Where waters smoothest run, there deepest are the fords;
The dial stirs, yet none perceives it move;
The firmest faith is found in fewest words;
The turtles do not sing, and yet they love;
True hearts have ears and eyes, no tongues to speak;
They hear and see, and sigh, and then they break.
Some Notes:
Dial is a sun dial.
"Turtles" means Turtle doves from Latin Turtilla!
Sir Edward Dyer lived from 1543 to 1607 and held minor posts at the court of Queen Elizabeth
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