John Keats: Ode on Melancholy
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Ode on Melancholy

1795-1821


NO, no! go not to Lethe, neither twist
         Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;
Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kist
         By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;
Make not your rosary of yew-berries,
         Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be
         Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl
A partner in your sorrow's mysteries;
         For shade to shade will come too drowsily,
         And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.

But when the melancholy fit shall fall
         Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,
That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,
         And hides the green hill in an April shroud;
Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose,
         Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave,
         Or on the wealth of globed peonies;
Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,
         Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave,
         And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.

She dwells with Beauty--Beauty that must die;
         And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips
Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,
         Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:
Ay, in the very temple of Delight
         Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine,
         Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue
Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine;
         His soul shall taste the sadness of her might,
         And be among her cloudy trophies hung.


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