MY hovering thoughts would fly to heaven <br /> And quiet nestle in the sky, <br />Fain would my ship in Virtue's shore <br /> Without remove at anchor lie. <br /> <br />But mounting thoughts are haled down <br /> With heavy poise of mortal load, <br />And blustring storms deny my ship <br /> In Virtue's haven secure abode. <br /> <br />When inward eye to heavenly sights <br /> Doth draw my longing heart's desire, <br />The world with jesses of delights <br /> Would to her perch my thoughts retire, <br /> <br />Fon Fancy trains to Pleasure's lure, <br /> Though Reason stiffly do repine; <br />Though Wisdom woo me to the saint, <br /> Yet Sense would win me to the shrine. <br /> <br />Where Reason loathes, there Fancy loves, <br /> And overrules the captive will; <br />Foes senses are to Virtue's lore, <br /> They draw the wit their wish to fill. <br /> <br />Need craves consent of soul to sense, <br /> Yet divers bents breed civil fray ; <br />Hard hap where halves must disagree, <br /> Or truce halves the whole betray ! <br /> <br />O cruel fight ! where fighting friend <br /> With love doth kill a favoring foe, <br />Where peace with sense is war with God, <br /> And self-delight the seed of woe ! <br /> <br />Dame Pleasure's drugs are steeped in sin, <br /> Their sugared taste doth breed annoy ; <br />O fickle sense ! beware her gin, <br /> Sell not thy soul to brittle joy !<br /><br />Robert Southwell<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/man-s-civil-war/
