Hear, ye Ladies

By John Fletcher

1579-1625


HEAR, ye ladies that despise
         What the mighty Love has done;
Fear examples and be wise:
         Fair Callisto was a nun;
Leda, sailing on the stream
         To deceive the hopes of man,
Love accounting but a dream,
         Doted on a silver swan;
         Danae, in a brazen tower,
         Where no love was, loved a shower.

Hear, ye ladies that are coy,
         What the mighty Love can do;
Fear the fierceness of the boy:
         The chaste Moon he makes to woo;
Vesta, kindling holy fires,
         Circled round about with spies,
Never dreaming loose desires,
         Doting at the altar dies;
         Ilion, in a short hour, higher
         He can build, and once more fire.

DayPoems Poem No. 213
<a href="http://www.daypoems.net/poems/213.html">Hear, ye Ladies by John Fletcher</a>

The DayPoems Poetry Collection, www.daypoems.net
Timothy Bovee, editor

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