I. <br />Ah LUCASTA, why so bright? <br />Spread with early streaked light! <br />If still vailed from our sight, <br />What is't but eternall night? <br /> <br /> II. <br />Ah LUCASTA, why so chaste? <br />With that vigour, ripenes grac't, <br />Not to be by Man imbrac't <br />Makes that Royall coyne imbace't, <br />And this golden Orchard waste! <br /> <br /> III. <br />Ah LUCASTA, why so great, <br />That thy crammed coffers sweat? <br />Yet not owner of a seat <br />May shelter you from Natures heat, <br />And your earthly joyes compleat. <br /> <br /> IV. <br />Ah Lucasta, why so good? <br />Blest with an unstained flood <br />Flowing both through soule and blood; <br />If it be not understood, <br />'Tis a Diamond in mud. <br /> <br /> V. <br />LUCASTA! stay! why dost thou flye? <br />Thou art not bright but to the eye, <br />Nor chaste but in the mariage-tye, <br />Nor great but in this treasurie, <br />Nor good but in that sanctitie. <br /> <br /> VI. <br />Harder then the Orient stone, <br />Like an apparition, <br />Or as a pale shadow gone, <br />Dumbe and deafe she hence is flowne. <br /> <br /> VII. <br />Then receive this equall dombe: <br />Virgins, strow no teare or bloome, <br />No one dig the Parian wombe; <br />Raise her marble heart i'th' roome, <br />And 'tis both her coarse and tombe.<br /><br />Richard Lovelace<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-lucasta-ode-lyrick/
