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Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Delight in Disorder


              1A sweet disorder in the dress
              2Kindles in clothes a wantonness;
              3A lawn about the shoulders thrown
              4Into a fine distraction;
              5An erring lace, which here and there
              6Enthrals the crimson stomacher;
              7A cuff neglectful, and thereby
              8Ribands to flow confusedly;
              9A winning wave, deserving note,
            10In the tempestuous petticoat;
            11A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
            12I see a wild civility:
            13Do more bewitch me, than when art
            14Is too precise in every part.

Notes

2] wantonness: gaiety, but no doubt with other suggestions.

3] lawn: fine linen resembling cambric.

5] stomacher: embroidered vest.

Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.

Original text: Robert Herrick, Hesperides (London: for John Williams and F. Eglesfield to be sold by Thomas Hunt, 1648), of which a section called "His Noble Numbers: or, his Pious Pieces" has a separate title-page dated 1647. Facs. edn. Menston: Scolar, 1969. PR 3512 H4 1648A ROBA
First publication date: 1648
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: 3RP 1.197.
Recent editing: 4:2002/2/6

Form: Couplets

Other poems by Robert Herrick

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