Anne Killigrew Poems

A collection of select Anne Killigrew famous poems that were written by Anne Killigrew or written about the poet by other famous poets. PoetrySoup is a comprehensive educational resource of the greatest poems and poets on history.

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On my Aunt Mrs A. K. Drownd under London-Bridge in the QUEENS Bardge Anno 1641

by Anne Killigrew
 THe Darling of a Father Good and Wise, 
The Vertue, which a Vertuous Age did prize; 
The Beauty Excellent even to those were Faire, 
Subscrib'd unto, by such as might compare; 
The Star that 'bove her Orb did always move, 
And yet the Noblest did not Hate, but Love; 
And those who most upon their Title stood, 
Vail'd also...Read more of this...

To my Lady Berkeley Afflicted upon her Son My Lord BERKELEYs Early Engaging in the Sea-Service

by Anne Killigrew
 SO the renowned Ithacensian Queen
In Tears for her Telemachus was seen, 
When leaving Home, he did attempt the Ire
Of rageing Seas, to seek his absent Sire: 
Such bitter Sighs her tender Breast did rend; 
But had she known a God did him attend, 
And would with Glory bring him safe again, 
Bright Thoughts would then have dispossess't her Pain....Read more of this...

The Third Epigram. (On an ATHEIST)

by Anne Killigrew
 POsthumus boasts he does not Thunder fear, 
And for this cause would Innocent appear; 
That in his Soul no Terrour he does feel, 
At threatn'd Vultures, or Ixion's Wheel, 
Which fright the Guilty: But when Fabius told
What Acts 'gainst Murder lately were enrol'd, 
'Gainst Incest, Rapine, ---- straight upon the Tale
His Colour chang'd, and Posthumus grew pale. 
 His...Read more of this...

Extemporary Counsel given to a Young Gallant in a Frolick

by Anne Killigrew
 AS you are Young, if you'l be also Wise, 
Danger with Honour court, Quarrels despise; 
Believe you then are truly Brave and Bold, 
To Beauty when no Slave, and less to Gold; 
When Vertue you dare own, not think it odd, 
Or ungenteel to say, I fear a God....Read more of this...

THE Complaint of a Lover

by Anne Killigrew
 SEest thou younder craggy Rock, 
 Whose Head o'er-looks the swelling Main, 
Where never Shepherd fed his Flock, 
 Or careful Peasant sow'd his Grain. 
No wholesome Herb grows on the same, 
 Or Bird of Day will on it rest;
'Tis Barren as the Hopeless Flame, 
 That scortches my tormented Breast. 

Deep underneath a Cave does lie, 
...Read more of this...

To the Queen

by Anne Killigrew
 AS those who pass the Alps do say, 
The Rocks which first oppose their way, 
And so amazing-High do show, 
By fresh Accents appear but low, 
And when they come unto the last, 
They scorn the dwarfish Hills th'ave past. 
 So though my Muse at her first flight, 
Thought she had chose the greatest height, 
And (imp'd with...Read more of this...

On a young Lady Whose LORD was Travelling

by Anne Killigrew
 NO sooner I pronounced Celindas name,
But Troops of wing'd Pow'rs did chant the fame: 
Not those the Poets Bows and Arrows lend, 
But such as on the Altar do attend. 
Celinda nam'd, Flow'rs spring up from the Ground,
Excited meerly with the Charming Sound. 
Celinda, the Courts Glory, and its fear,
The gaz'd at Wonder, where she does appear. 
Celinda great...Read more of this...

First EPIGRAM. (Upon being Contented with a Little)

by Anne Killigrew
 WE deem them moderate, but Enough implore, 
What barely will suffice, and ask no more: 
Who say, (O Jove) a competency give, 
Neither in Luxury, or Want we'd live. 
But what is that, which these Enough do call? 
If both the Indies unto some should fall, 
Such Wealth would yet Enough but onely be, 
And what they'd term not...Read more of this...

Cloris Charmes Dissolved by EUDORA

by Anne Killigrew
 NOt that thy Fair Hand 
Should lead me from my deep Dispaire, 
Or thy Love, Cloris, End my Care, 
 And back my Steps command: 
But if hereafter thou Retire, 
To quench with Tears, thy Wandring Fire, 
 This Clue I'll leave behinde, 
 By which thou maist untwine
 The Saddest Way, 
 To shun the Day,
 That ever...Read more of this...

The Discontent

by Anne Killigrew
 I.
HEre take no Care, take here no Care, my Muse,
 Nor ought of Art or Labour use:
 But let thy Lines rude and unpolisht go,
Nor Equal be their Feet, nor Num'rous let them flow.
 The ruggeder my Measures run when read,
They'l livelier paint th'unequal Paths fond Mortals tread.
 Who when th'are tempted by the smooth Ascents,
 Which flatt'ring Hope...Read more of this...

To The Pious Memory Of The Accomplished Young Lady Mrs. Anne Killigrew

by John Dryden
 Thou youngest virgin-daughter of the skies,
 Made in the last promotion of the Blest;
Whose palms, new pluck'd from Paradise,
In spreading branches more sublimely rise,
Rich with immortal green above the rest:
Whether, adopted to some neighbouring star,
Thou roll'st above us, in thy wand'ring race,
 Or, in procession fix'd and regular,
 Mov'd with the Heavens' majestic pace:
 Or, call'd to more superior...Read more of this...

On a Picture Painted by her self representing two Nimphs of DIANAs one in a posture to Hunt the other Batheing

by Anne Killigrew
 WE are Diana's Virgin-Train, 
Descended of no Mortal Strain; 
Our Bows and Arrows are our Goods, 
Our Pallaces, the lofty Woods, 
The Hills and Dales, at early Morn, 
Resound and Eccho with our Horn; 
We chase the Hinde and Fallow-Deer, 
The Wolf and Boar both dread our Spear; 

In Swiftness we out-strip the Wind, 
An Eye and Thought we...Read more of this...

An Invective against Gold

by Anne Killigrew
 OF all the Poisons that the fruitful Earth
E'er yet brought forth, or Monsters she gave Birth, 
Nought to Mankind has e'er so fatal been, 
As thou, accursed Gold, their Care and Sin. 
 Methinks I the Advent'rous Merchant see, 
Ploughing the faithless Seas, in search of thee, 
His dearest Wife and Children left behind, 
(His real Wealth) while he,...Read more of this...

A Pastoral Dialogue

by Anne Killigrew
 Dorinda. SAbæan Perfumes fragrant Roses bring, 
With all the Flowers that Paint the gaudy Spring: 
Scatter them all in young Alexis's way, 
With all that's sweet and (like himself) that's Gay. 
 Alexis. Immortal Laurels and as lasting Praise, 
Crown the divine Dorinda's matchless Laies: 
May all Hearts stoop, where mine would gladly yield, 
Had not Lycoris prepossest the...Read more of this...

On the Soft and Gentle Motions of Eudora

by Anne Killigrew
 DIvine Thalia strike th'Harmonious Lute, 
But with a Stroke so Gentle as may sute
 The silent gliding of the Howers,
 Or yet the calmer growth of Flowers;
 Th'ascending or the falling Dew,
 Which none can see, though all find true. 
 For thus alone,
 Can be shewn,
 How downie, how smooth,
 Eudora doth Move,
 How Silken her Actions appear,
...Read more of this...

An ODE

by Anne Killigrew
 ARise my Dove, from mid'st of Pots arise, 
 Thy sully'd Habitation leave, 
 To Dust no longer cleave, 
Unworthy they of Heaven that will not view the Skies. 
[Page 83]

 Thy native Beauty re-assume, 
 Prune each neglected Plume, 
 Till more than Silver white, 
 Then burnisht Gold more bright, 
Thus ever ready stand to take thy...Read more of this...

Love the Soul of Poetry

by Anne Killigrew
 WHen first Alexis did in Verse delight, 
 His Muse in Low, but Graceful Numbers walk't, 
And now and then a little Proudly stalk't; 
 But never aim'd at any noble Flight: 
The Herds, the Groves, the gentle purling Streams, 
Adorn'd his Song, and were his highest Theams. 
 But Love these Thoughts, like Mists, did soon disperse, 
Enlarg'd...Read more of this...

An Epitaph on her Self

by Anne Killigrew
 WHen I am Dead, few Friends attend my Hearse, 
And for a Monument, I leave my VERSE....Read more of this...

On the Birth-Day of Queen Katherine

by Anne Killigrew
 WHile yet it was the Empire of the Night, 
And Stars still check'r'd Darkness with their Light, 
From Temples round the cheerful Bells did ring, 
But with the Peales a churlish Storm did sing. 
I slumbr'd; and the Heavens like things did show, 
Like things which I had seen and heard below. 
Playing on Harps Angels did singing fly,...Read more of this...

Penelope to Ulysses

by Anne Killigrew
 REturn my dearest Lord, at length return, 
Let me no longer your sad absence mourn, 
Ilium in Dust, does no more Work afford, 
No more Employment for your Wit or Sword. 
 Why did not the fore-seeing Gods destroy, 
Helin the Fire-brand both of Greece and Troy,
E're yet the Fatal Youth her Face had seen, 
E're lov'd and born...Read more of this...

Upon a Little Lady Under the Discipline of an Excellent Person

by Anne Killigrew
 I. 
HOw comes the Day orecast ? the Flaming Sun
Darkn'd at Noon, as if his Course were run ? 
He never rose more proud, more glad, more gay, 
Ne're courted Daphne with a brighter Ray ! 
 And now in Clouds he wraps his Head, 
As if not Daphne, but himself were dead ! 
 And all the little...Read more of this...

HERODIAS Daughter presenting to her Mother St. JOHNs Head in a Charger also Painted by her self

by Anne Killigrew
 BEhold, dear Mother, who was late our Fear, 
Disarm'd and Harmless, I present you here; 
The Tongue ty'd up, that made all Jury quake, 
And which so often did our Greatness shake; 

No Terror sits upon his Awful Brow, 
Where Fierceness reign'd, there Calmness triumphs now; 
As Lovers use, he gazes on my Face, 
With Eyes that languish, as...Read more of this...

A Farewel (To Worldly Joys.)

by Anne Killigrew
 FArewel ye Unsubstantial Joyes, 
Ye Gilded Nothings, Gaudy Toyes, 
Too long ye have my Soul misled, 
Too long with Aiery Diet fed: 
But now my Heart ye shall no more
Deceive, as you have heretofore: 
For when I hear such Sirens sing, 
Like Ithaca's fore-warned King, 
With prudent Resolution I
Will so my Will and Fancy tye, 
That stronger to the...Read more of this...

The Fourth EPIGRAM. (On GALLA)

by Anne Killigrew
 NOw liquid Streams by the fierce Gold do grow
As solid as the Rocks from whence they flow; 
Now Tibers Banks with Ice united meet, 
And it's firm Stream may well be term'd its Street; 
Now Vot'ries 'fore the Shrines like Statues show, 
And scarce the Men from Images we know; 
Now Winters Palsey seizes ev'ry Age, 
And none's so...Read more of this...

Upon the saying that my VERSES were made by another

by Anne Killigrew
 NExt Heaven my Vows to thee (O Sacred Muse! ) 
I offer'd up, nor didst thou them refuse. 
 O Queen of Verse, said I, if thou'lt inspire, 
And warm my Soul with thy Poetique Fire, 
No Love of Gold shall share with thee my Heart, 
Or yet Ambition in my Brest have Part, 
More Rich, more Noble I...Read more of this...

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