Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VI. Fancy. 1904. | | | | Poems of Sentiment: VI. Labor and Rest | | The Happy Heart | | Thomas Dekker (c. 1570–1632) |
| | From “Patient Grissell,” Act I. Sc. 1.
ART thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers? | |
| O sweet content! | |
| Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexed? | |
| O punishment! | |
| Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexed | 5 |
| To add to golden numbers, golden numbers? | |
| O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content! | |
| “Work apace, apace, apace, apace; | |
| Honest labor bears a lovely face; | |
| Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny! | 10 |
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| Canst drink the waters of the crispèd spring? | |
| O sweet content! | |
| Swimm’st thou in wealth, yet sink’st in thine own tears? | |
| O punishment! | |
| Then he that patiently want’s burden bears | 15 |
| No burden bears, but is a king, a king! | |
| O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content! | |
| Work apace, apace, apace, apace; | |
| Honest labor bears a lovely face; | |
| Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny! | 20 | | | |
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