A Fly About a Glasse of Burnt Claret
Forbear this liquid fire, Fly,It is more fatal then the dry,That singly, but embracing, wounds;And this at once both burns and drowns.
The salamander, that in heatAnd flames doth cool his monstrous sweat,Whose fan a glowing cake is said,Of this red furnace is afraid.
Viewing the ruby-christal shine,Thou tak'st it for heaven-christalline;Anon thou wilt be taught to groan:'Tis an ascended Acheron.
A snow-ball heart in it let fall,And take it out a fire-ball;Ali icy breast in it betray'dBreaks a destructive wild granade.
'Tis this makes Venus altars shine,This kindles frosty Hymen's pine;When the boy grows old in his desires,This flambeau doth new light his fires.
Though the cold hermit over wail,Whose sighs do freeze, and tears drop hail,Once having pass'd this, will ne'rAnother flaming purging fear.
The vestal drinking this doth burnNow more than in her fun'ral urn;Her fires, that with the sun kept race,Are now extinguish'd by her face.
The chymist, that himself doth still,Let him but tast this limbecks bill,And prove this sublimated bowl,He'll swear it will calcine a soul.
Noble, and brave! now thou dost knowThe false prepared decks below,Dost thou the fatal liquor sup,One drop, alas! thy barque blowes up.
What airy country hast to save,Whose plagues thou'lt bury in thy grave?For even now thou seem'st to usOn this gulphs brink a Curtius.
And now th' art faln (magnanimous Fly)In, where thine Ocean doth fry,Like the Sun's son, who blush'd the floodTo a complexion of blood.
Yet, see! my glad auricularRedeems thee (though dissolv'd) a star,Flaggy thy wings, and scorch'd thy thighs,Thou ly'st a double sacrifice.
And now my warming, cooling breathShall a new life afford in death;See! in the hospital of my handAlready cur'd, thou fierce do'st stand.
Burnt insect! dost thou reaspireThe moist-hot-glasse and liquid fire?I see 'tis such a pleasing pain,Thou would'st be scorch'd and drown'd again.
"Retire into thy grove of eglantine,Where I will all those ravished sweets distillThrough Love's alembic, and with chemic skillFrom the mix'd mass one sovereign balm derive."Carew's POEMS (1640), ed. 1772, p. 77.
"----I will tryFrom the warm limbeck of my eye,In such a method to distilTears on thy marble nature----"Shirley's POEMS (Works by Dyce, vi. 407).
"Nature's Confectioner, the BEE,Whose suckers are moist ALCHYMIE,The still of his refining Mould,Minting the garden into gold."Cleveland's POEMS, ed. 1669, p. 4.
"Fisher is here with purple wing,Who brings me to the Spring-head, whereCrystall is Lymbeckt all the year."Lord Westmoreland's OTIA SACRA, 1648, p. 137,
"LUKE. A south windShall sooner soften marble, and the rain,That slides down gently from his flaggy wings,O'erflow the Alps."Massinger's CITY MADAM, 1658.
Words in this poem 15
- anon adv.
- Straightway; at once. [OE. anoon, anon, anan, lit., in one (moment), fr. AS. on in + an one. See On and One.]
- acheron n.
- A river in the Nether World or infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf.
- flambeau n.
- A flaming torch, esp. one made by combining together a number of thick wicks invested with a quick-burning substance (anciently, perhaps, wax; in modern times, pitch or the like); hence, any torch. [F., fr. OF. flambe flame, for flamble, from L. flammula a little flame, dim. of flamma flame. See Flame.]
- vestal a.
- Of or pertaining to Vesta, the virgin goddess of the hearth; hence, pure; chaste. [L. Vestalis belonging to Vesta, vestal. See Vesta.]
- sublimated a.
- Refined by, or as by, sublimation; exalted; purified.
- barque n.
- Formerly, any small sailing vessel, as a pinnace, fishing smack, etc.; also, a rowing boat; a barge. Now applied poetically to a sailing vessel or boat of any kind. [F. barque, fr. Sp. or It. barca, fr. LL. barca for barica. See Barge.]
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- brink n.
- The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge, as of a river or pit; a verge; a border; as, the brink of a chasm. Also Fig. [Dan. brink edge, verge; akin to Sw. brink declivity, hill, Icel. brekka; cf. LG. brink a grassy hill, W. bryn hill, bryncyn hillock.]
- complexion n.
- The state of being complex; complexity. [F. complexion, fr. L. complexio. See Complex, a.]
- flaggy a.
- Weak; flexible; limber.
- cooling a.
- Adapted to cool and refresh; allaying heat.
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- hospital n.
- A place for shelter or entertainment; an inn. [OF. hospital, ospital, F. hôpital, LL. hospitale (or perh. E. hospital is directly from the Late Latin), from L. hospitalis relating to a guest, hospitalia apar]
- derive v. t.
- To turn the course of, as water; to divert and distribute into subordinate channels; to diffuse; to communicate; to transmit; -- followed by to, into, on, upon. [F. dériver, L. derivare; de- + rivus stream, brook. See Rival.]
- mould n.
- Crumbling, soft, friable earth; esp., earth containing the remains or constituents of organic matter, and suited to the growth of plants; soil. [OE. molde, AS. molde; akin to D. mul, G. mull, mulm, OHG. molt, molta, Icel. mold, Dan. muld, Sw. mull, Goth. mulda, and E. meal flour. See Meal, and cf. Mole a]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
A Fly About a Glasse of Burnt Claret is in the public domain. This text is taken from Lucasta, Project Gutenberg ebook #703; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Richard Lovelace, A Fly About a Glasse of Burnt Claret, in Lucasta (1649), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #703, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/lovelace-lucasta/a-fly-about-a-glasse-of-burnt-claret.html, id L13054.
Form and metre
A Fly About a Glasse of Burnt Claret is 80 lines in 19 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 60% of the lines: octosyllabic couplets. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 89%). 96% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 8.0 syllables. 7 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 21% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in octosyllabic couplets, other poems in iambic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AA-- flyA · dryA · wounds · drowns
- 3 AA-- shineA · christallineA · groan · acheron
- 4 AABB fallA · ballA · betray'dB · granadeB
- 5 AABB shineA · pineA · desiresB · firesB
- 6 AA-- wailA · hailA · ne'r · fear
- 7 AABB burnA · urnA · raceB · faceB
- 8 AABB stillA · billA · bowlB · soulB
- 9 AABB knowA · belowA · supB · upB
- 10 AA-- saveA · graveA · us · curtius
- 11 AABB flyA · fryA · floodB · bloodB
- 13 AABB breathA · deathA · handB · standB
- 14 AABB reaspireA · fireA · painB · againB
- 15 -AA-- eglantine · distillA · skillA · derive · —
- 16 AA--- tryA · eyeA · distil · nature · —
- 17 --AA- bee · alchymie · mouldA · goldA · —
- 18 -AA- wing · whereA · yearA · —
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Forbear this liquid fire, Fly, | 8 | ˘/·/˘/˘· |
| It is more fatal then the dry, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| That singly, but embracing, wounds; | 8 | ·/˘·˘/˘· |
| And this at once both burns and drowns. | 8 | ········ |
| The salamander, that in heat | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| And flames doth cool his monstrous sweat, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Whose fan a glowing cake is said, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Of this red furnace is afraid. | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| Viewing the ruby-christal shine, | 8 | /˘·/˘/˘· |
| Thou tak'st it for heaven-christalline; | 9 | ····/˘··· |
| Anon thou wilt be taught to groan: | 8 | ˘/······ |
| 'Tis an ascended Acheron. | 8 | ··˘/˘/˘˘ |
| A snow-ball heart in it let fall, | 8 | ········ |
| And take it out a fire-ball; | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Ali icy breast in it betray'd | 9 | /˘/˘···˘/ |
| Breaks a destructive wild granade. | 8 | ··˘/˘·˘/ |
| 'Tis this makes Venus altars shine, | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| This kindles frosty Hymen's pine; | 8 | ·/˘/˘/˘· |
| When the boy grows old in his desires, | 10 | ·······˘/˘ |
| This flambeau doth new light his fires. | 9 | ·/˘····/˘ |
| Though the cold hermit over wail, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Whose sighs do freeze, and tears drop hail, | 8 | ········ |
| Once having pass'd this, will ne'r | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| Another flaming purging fear. | 8 | ˘/˘/˘/˘· |
| The vestal drinking this doth burn | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Now more than in her fun'ral urn; | 8 | ········ |
| Her fires, that with the sun kept race, | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| Are now extinguish'd by her face. | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| The chymist, that himself doth still, | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Let him but tast this limbecks bill, | 8 | ········ |
| And prove this sublimated bowl, | 7 | ···/˘˘· |
| He'll swear it will calcine a soul. | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Noble, and brave! now thou dost know | 8 | /˘······ |
| The false prepared decks below, | 7 | ··˘/··· |
| Dost thou the fatal liquor sup, | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| One drop, alas! thy barque blowes up. | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| What airy country hast to save, | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| Whose plagues thou'lt bury in thy grave? | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| For even now thou seem'st to us | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| On this gulphs brink a Curtius. | 7 | ······· |
| And now th' art faln (magnanimous Fly) | 9 | ····˘/˘˘· |
| In, where thine Ocean doth fry, | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| Like the Sun's son, who blush'd the flood | 8 | ········ |
| To a complexion of blood. | 7 | ··˘/˘·· |
| Yet, see! my glad auricular | 8 | ····˘/˘˘ |
| Redeems thee (though dissolv'd) a star, | 8 | ˘/··˘/·· |
| Flaggy thy wings, and scorch'd thy thighs, | 8 | /˘······ |
| Thou ly'st a double sacrifice. | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| And now my warming, cooling breath | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| Shall a new life afford in death; | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| See! in the hospital of my hand | 9 | ···/·˘··· |
| Already cur'd, thou fierce do'st stand. | 8 | ˘/˘····· |
| Burnt insect! dost thou reaspire | 7 | ·/····· |
| The moist-hot-glasse and liquid fire? | 9 | ·····/˘/˘ |
| I see 'tis such a pleasing pain, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Thou would'st be scorch'd and drown'd again. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| "Retire into thy grove of eglantine, | 10 | ˘/·····/˘· |
| Where I will all those ravished sweets distill | 10 | ········˘/ |
| Through Love's alembic, and with chemic skill | 10 | ··˘/˘··/˘· |
| From the mix'd mass one sovereign balm derive." | 10 | ·····/˘·˘/ |
| Carew's POEMS (1640), ed. 1772, p. 77. | 6 | /˘/˘·· |
| "----I will try | 3 | ··· |
| From the warm limbeck of my eye, | 8 | ········ |
| In such a method to distil | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| Tears on thy marble nature----" | 7 | ···/˘/˘ |
| Shirley's POEMS (Works by Dyce, vi. 407). | 8 | /˘/˘···· |
| "Nature's Confectioner, the BEE, | 8 | /˘˘/˘˘·· |
| Whose suckers are moist ALCHYMIE, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| The still of his refining Mould, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Minting the garden into gold." | 8 | /˘·/˘··· |
| Cleveland's POEMS, ed. 1669, p. 4. | 6 | /˘/˘·· |
| "Fisher is here with purple wing, | 8 | /˘···/˘· |
| Who brings me to the Spring-head, where | 8 | ········ |
| Crystall is Lymbeckt all the year." | 8 | /˘······ |
| Lord Westmoreland's OTIA SACRA, 1648, p. 137, | 9 | ·˘/˘··/˘· |
| "LUKE. A south wind | 4 | ···· |
| Shall sooner soften marble, and the rain, | 10 | ·/˘/˘/˘··· |
| That slides down gently from his flaggy wings, | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| O'erflow the Alps." | 4 | ···· |
| Massinger's CITY MADAM, 1658. | 7 | ···/˘/˘ |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.