Quotes from work
To His Coy Mistress

Andrew Marvell

"To His Coy Mistress" is a metaphysical poem written by the English author and politician Andrew Marvell either during or just before the English Interregnum . It was published posthumously in 1681.This poem is considered one of Marvell's finest and is possibly the best recognized carpe diem poem in English. Although the date of its composition is not known, it may have been written in the early 1650s. At that time, Marvell was serving as a tutor to the daughter of the retired commander of the New Model Army, Sir Thomas Fairfax.

Andrew Marvell photo

“Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, Lady, were no crime.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

Source: To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)
Context: Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, Lady, were no crime.
We would sit down and think which way
To walk, and pass our long love's day.

Andrew Marvell photo

“Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

Source: To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)
Context: Let us roll all our strength and all
Our sweetness up into one ball,
And tear our pleasures with rough strife
Thorough the iron gates of life:
Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.

Andrew Marvell photo

“Thy beauty shall no more be found;
Nor, in thy marble vault shall sound
My echoing song; then worms shall try
That long preserved virginity,
And your quaint honor turn to dust,
And into ashes all my lust.
The grave's a fine and private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)

Andrew Marvell photo

“I would
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires and more slow.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)

Andrew Marvell photo

“But at my back I always hear
Time's wingèd chariot hurrying near;
And yonder all before us lie
Deserts of vast eternity.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)

Andrew Marvell photo

“An age at least to every part,
And the last age should show your heart.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)

Andrew Marvell photo

“Now therefore while the youthful hue
Sits on thy skin like morning dew,
And while thy willing soul transpires
At every pore with instant fires,
Now let us sport us while we may,
And now, like amorous birds of prey,
Rather at once our time devour
Than languish in his slow-chapped power.”

Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress

To His Coy Mistress (1650-1652)

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