A Dialogue Between The Soul And Body
Soul
O
Who
shall,
from
this
Dungeon,
raise
A
Soul
inslav'd
so
many
wayes?
With
bolts
of
Bones,
that
fetter'd
stands
In
Feet
;
and
manacled
in
Hands.
Here
blinded
with
an
Eye
;
and
there
Deaf
with
the
drumming
of
an
Ear.
A
Soul
hung
up,
as
'twere,
in
Chains
Of
Nerves,
and
Arteries,
and
Veins.
Tortur'd,
besides
each
other
part,
In
a
vain
Head,
and
double
Heart.
Body
O
who
shall
me
deliver
whole,
From
bonds
of
this
Tyrannic
Soul?
Which,
stretcht
upright,
impales
me
so,
That
mine
own
Precipice
I
go;
And
warms
and
moves
this
needless
Frame:
(A
Fever
could
but
do
the
same.)
And,
wanting
where
its
spight
to
try,
Has
made
me
live
to
let
me
dye.
A
Body
that
could
never
rest,
Since
this
ill
Spirit
it
possest.
Soul
What
Magic
could
me
thus
confine
Within
anothers
Grief
to
pine?
Where
whatsoever
it
complain,
I
feel,
that
cannot
feel,
the
pain.
And
all
my
Care
its
self
employes,
That
to
preserve,
which
me
destroys:
Constrain'd
not
only
to
indure
Diseases,
but,
whats
worse,
the
Cure:
And
ready
oft
the
Port
to
gain,
Am
Shipwrackt
into
Health
again.
Body
But
Physick
yet
could
never
reach
The
Maladies
Thou
me
dost
teach;
Whom
first
the
Cramp
of
Hope
does
Tear:
And
then
the
Palsie
Shakes
of
Fear.
The
Pestilence
of
Love
does
heat
:
Or
Hatred's
hidden
Ulcer
eat.
Joy's
chearful
Madness
does
perplex:
Or
Sorrow's
other
Madness
vex.
Which
Knowledge
forces
me
to
know;
And
Memory
will
not
foregoe.
What
but
a
Soul
could
have
the
wit
To
build
me
up
for
Sin
so
fit?
So
Architects
do
square
and
hew,
Green
Trees
that
in
the
Forest
grew.
Andrew Marvell
Andrew Marvell, (born March 31, 1621, Winestead, Yorkshire, England—died August 18, 1678, London), English poet whose political reputation overshadowed that of his poetry until the 20th century. He is now considered to be one of the best Metaphysical poets. Marvell spent most of the 1650s working as a tutor, first for Mary Fairfax, daughter of a retired Cromwellian general, then for one of Oliver Cromwell’s wards. Scholars believe that Marvell’s greatest lyrics were written during this time. In 1657, due to John Milton’s efforts on his behalf, Marvell was appointed Milton’s Latin secretary, a post Marvell held until his election to Parliament in 1660.