When Orpheus sweetly did complayne <br />Upon his lute with heavy strayne <br />How his Euridice was slayne, <br /> The trees to heare <br /> Obtayn'd an eare, <br />And after left it off againe. <br /> <br /> <br />At every stroake and every stay <br />The boughs kept time, and nodding lay, <br />And listened bending all one way: <br /> The aspen tree <br /> As well as hee <br />Began to shake and learn'd to play. <br /> <br /> <br />If wood could speake, a tree might heare, <br />If wood could sound true greife so neare <br />A tree might dropp an amber teare: <br /> If wood so well <br /> Could ring a knell <br />The Cipres might condole the beare. <br /> <br /> <br />The standing nobles of the grove <br />Hearing dead wood so speak and move <br />The fatall axe beganne to love: <br /> They envyde death <br /> That gave such breath <br />As men alive doe saints above<br /><br />William Strode<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when-orpheus-sweetly-did-complayne/
