(Coleshill, Buckinghamshire, 3 March 1606 – Beaconsfield, 21 October 1687).
English poet and politician.
Edmund Waller was born into a well-to-do family. He received his education at Eton College and at King’s College of the University of Cambridge. Already at the age of 16, he was elected MP, where he developed into an able speaker.
Edmund Waller. photo: wikipedia.org
To welcome her the Spring breath’s forth Elysian sweets; March strews the Earth with violets and posies.
Photo: Paula Sotomayor. 📖 Meaning: The quoted lines evoke an idyllic and extraordinarily beautiful image, in which nature itself seems to respond to the presence of a “beauty.” “To welcome her, spring breathes out Elysian sweetness;”: This means that spring, upon her arrival or in her honor, spreads the most delightful and paradisiacal scents and charms. “Elysian” refers to Elysium, the abode of the blessed after death in Greek mythology, which stands for perfection and bliss. “March sprinkles the earth with violets and bouquets.”: This part reinforces the image of natural beauty being laid at her feet. March, traditionally the month in which spring begins, brings forth the first flowers, such as violets (which are often associated with modesty and the sweetness of spring). “Bouquets” can refer to small bouquets or fragrant flowers in general. The essence is that the presence of this lady is so dazzling and delightful that even nature expresses itself in its most magnificent and fragrant forms to honor and welcome her. It is a hymn to her beauty and grace. 📜 Origin and Author: As correctly suggested, the author is Edmund Waller (1606–1687). He was a prominent English poet and politician of the 17th century, known for his lyric poetry and his role in the development of the heroic couplet (a couplet of two lines of verse in iambic pentameter, often rhyming). Poem: The lines are taken from his poem “Of a Fair Lady Playing with a Snake”. This poem is a classic example of the “Carpe Diem” (seize the day) tradition and at the same time a hymn to female beauty, although it may also contain an underlying warning about the transience of beauty and the danger of seduction (symbolized by the snake). Context: The poem describes a scene in which a beautiful lady plays with a snake, and the poet admires both her beauty and the bizarre harmony between her and the animal. The quoted lines form an introduction that emphasizes the grandeur of her beauty and how nature welcomes her. Waller was beloved for his elegant style and his ability to express complex ideas in melodious verses. The lines cited here are a beautiful example of his craftsmanship.
Door Pieter
Mensenmens, zoon, echtgenoot, vader, opa.
Spiritueel, echter niet religieus.
Ik hou van golf, wandelen, lezen en de natuur in veel opzichten.
Onderzoeker, nieuwsgierig, geen fan van de mainstream media (MSM).
