Andrew Marvell (1621 – 1678) was a metaphysical poet and also a politician who was involved in the Puritan government of Oliver Cromwell. And yet, in spite of his puritanical beliefs, he wrote a very sexy poem, To His Coy Mistress. It was probably written in the 1650s, when Marvell was employed as tutor to the daughter of Major General Thomas Fairfax, a military leader of the Civil War. However, it was only published in the 1680s, after Marvell’s death.
To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
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.
Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side
Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. 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;
An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;
Two hundred to adore each breast,
But thirty thousand to the rest;
An age at least to every part,
And the last age should show your heart.
For, lady, you deserve this state,
Nor would I love at lower rate.
But at my back I always hear
Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near;
And yonder all before us lie
Deserts of vast eternity.
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 honour turn to dust,
And into ashes all my lust;
The grave’s a fine and private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.
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.
Let us roll all our strength and all
Our sweetness up into one ball,
And tear our pleasures with rough strife
Through the iron gates of life:
Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.
It is one of the finest ‘carpe diem’ poems ever penned. The speaker addresses a woman who is not responding as he wishes to his romantic advances, persuading her that time is rushing by and they must both seize the moment and make love. He promises that, were time not an issue, he would spend centuries adoring each body part as it deserves. Some critics see the poem as an ironic statement about seduction – are his images of graves and worms merely a way of shocking the lady into compliance? It’s a love poem, yet also a poem about mortality. It provides a contrast between two sorts of love – the one that could occur if time’s passing meant nothing at all, and the more rushed sort of love that mortals are forced to enjoy.
Other poets have taken up Marvell’s challenge. Annie Finch, in her poem Coy Mistress implies that writing poetry is a more fitting way of spending time than making love. A.D. Hope wrote His Coy Mistress to Mr Marvell, in which the mistress turns down Marvell’s offered seduction. The famous opening lines about “world enough and time” have been used by many other authors and songwriters.
Listen to the poem, beautifully read by Sir John Gielgud:
Have you enjoyed this poem? I’d love to know what you think, let me know by leaving a comment.
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Jacqueline French
What a beautiful poem . I delighted in the weaving together of precious time fleeting and youthful beauty and lust at its most potent and insistent, and yet, only the lucky few throw themselves into the stream of life and love with abandon.
Helen
Interesting poem: specially loved the Wiki references to how many poets, songwriters, authors have used the “If we had world enough and time” in various ways.
In my own informal ‘scribbling’ group, we often make/take note of beautifully worded phrases to inspire us – Terry Pratchett’s contribution raised a smile 🙂
Brett Johnson
Thanks for this rewarding post, Susannah: the classic poem, your comments, the links to Gielgud’s recording and – such a bonus – the links to the two other poems, both new to me. Interesting that the poem by the woman is short and to the point while that by the bloke goes on and on, Hope seduced by his own wit and creativity. But treasurable, for all that. The summary on the Wiki page of the different view of the poem, also fascinating. Thanks again!
Patricia
Thank you! The pulsing immediacy of desire next to times winged chariot and eternity sure is powerful!
Kay Whowell
Loved it as I read it aloud but Sir John did a better job. Thank you for making me smile. Kay
Susannah Fullerton
One has to admire his inventiveness and persistance. Glad it made you smile.