More Poems for National Poetry Month

[exegesis]

When Night's Black Mantle Could Most Darkness Prove by Mary Wroth

When night's black mantle could most darkness prove,
And sleep (death's image) did my senses hire
From knowledge of myself, then thoughts did move
Swifter than those, most switness need require.
In sleep, a chariot drawn by wing'd Desire,
I saw, where sate bright Venus, Queen of love,
And at her feet her son, still adding fire
To burning hearts, which she did hold above.
But one heart flaming more than all the rest,
The goddess held, and put it to my breast.
Dear Son, now shoot, she said, this must we win.
He her obeyed, and martyr'd my poor heart.
I waking hop'd as dreams it would depart,
Yet since, O me, a lover have I been.

What If by Isabel Joshlin Glasser

What if...
You opened a book
About dinosaurs
And one stumbled out
And another and another
And more and more pour
Until the whole place
Is bumbling and rumbling
And groaning and moaning
And snoring and roaring
And dinosauring?
What if...
You tried to push them
Back inside
But, they kept tromping
Off the pages instead?
Would you close the covers?

Can Pleasing Sight Misfortune Ever Bring? by Mary Wroth

Can pleasing sight misfortune ever bring?
Can firm desire a painful torment try?
Can winning eyes prove to the heart a sting?
Or can sweet lips in treason hidden lie?
The Sun most pleasing blinds the strongest eye
If too much look'd on, breaking the sight's string;
Desires still crossed must unto mischief hye,
And as despair, a luckless chance may fling.
Eyes, having won, rejecting proves a sting
Killing the bud before the tree doth spring;
Sweet lips not loving do as poison prove:
Desire, sight, Eyes, lips, seek, see, prove, and find
You love may win, but curses if unkind;
Then show you harm's dislike, and joy in Love. 

Untitled by Unknown

I'd never dine on dinosaurs.
They can't be good to eat.
For all they have are lots of bones
And not a bit of meat.