He calls his wish, it comes; he sends it back,
And says he called another; that arrives,
Meets the same welcome; yet he still calls on;
Till one calls him, who varies not his call,
But holds him fast, in chains of darkness bound,
Till Nature dies, and judgment sets him free;
A freedom far less welcome than this chain.
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Man wants but little, nor that little long;
How soon must he resign his very dust,
Which read more
Man wants but little, nor that little long;
How soon must he resign his very dust,
Which frugal nature lent him for an hour!
Of all complexions the culled sovereignty
Do meet, as at a fair, in her fair cheek,
Where read more
Of all complexions the culled sovereignty
Do meet, as at a fair, in her fair cheek,
Where several worthies make one dignity,
Where nothing wants that want itself doth seek.
Wert thou all that I wish thee, great, glorious and free,
First flower of the earth, and first gem read more
Wert thou all that I wish thee, great, glorious and free,
First flower of the earth, and first gem of the sea.
With all thy sober charms possest,
Whose wishes never learnt to stray.
With all thy sober charms possest,
Whose wishes never learnt to stray.
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely read more
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
What most we wish, with ease we fancy near.
What most we wish, with ease we fancy near.
Thy wish was father, Harry, to that thought.
Thy wish was father, Harry, to that thought.
Wishers and woulders be small householders.
Wishers and woulders be small householders.
If I live to grow old, as I find I go down,
Let this be my fate in a read more
If I live to grow old, as I find I go down,
Let this be my fate in a country town;
May I have a warm house, with a stone at my gate,
And a cleanly young girl to rub my bald pate.
May I govern my passions with an absolute sway,
Grow wiser and better as my strength wears away,
Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay.
- Walter Pope, The Old Man's Wish,
