The Present Time Best Pleaseth Me

Praise, they that will, times past: I joy to see
Myself now live; this age best pleaseth me!

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is known for his book of poems, "Hesperides," which includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time." His works are noted for their clarity, simplicity, and musical quality. Herrick was also a vicar of Dean Prior in Devon, despite being ejected during the English Civil War and later reinstated.

Robert Herrick

Upon Letcher. Epig.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

Pardon.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

Presence And Absence.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

To His Friend, Mr. J. Jincks.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

English

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Choose For The Best.

Give house-room to the best; 'tis never known
Virtue and pleasure both to dwell in one.

Robert Herrick

Best To Be Merry.

Fools are they who never know
How the times away do go;
But for us, who wisely see
Where the bounds of black death be,
Let's live merrily, and thus
Gratify the Genius.

Robert Herrick

To Be Merry

Let's now take our time,
While we're in our prime,
And old, old age is afar off;
For the evil, evil days
Will come on apace,
Before we can be aware of.

Robert Herrick

To Enjoy The Time

While fates permit us, let's be merry;
Pass all we must the fatal ferry;
And this our life, too, whirls away,
With the rotation of the day.

Robert Herrick

To The Virgins, To Make Much Of Time

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a flying:
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a getting;
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best, which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times, still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.

Robert Herrick

Pardon

Those ends in war the best contentment bring,
Whose peace is made up with a pardoning.

Robert Herrick