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How can my Muse want subject to invent
While thou dost breathe, that poor'st into my verse
Thine owne sweet argument, too excellent,
For every vulgar paper to rehearse:
Oh give thy selfe the thankes if ought in me,
Worthy of perusal stand against thy sight,
For who's so dumbe that cannot write to thee,
When thou thy selfe dost give invention light?
Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more worth
Then those old nine which rimers invocate,
And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth
Eternal numbers to outlive long date.
If my slight muse do please these curious days,
The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise.
Commentary
Commentary
Address to an inspiring young man
Address to an inspiring young man
Changes to the original text: line 2, 'breath' changed to 'breathe', comma inserted after 'breathe', comma deleted at the end of the line; line 3, 'to' changed to 'too'
In the first quatrain, the poet asks how his verse can want invention when his beloved is there to pour matter (his own sweet argument) into it. It is, moreover, matter that is too excellent for less gifted poets (vulgar paper).
In the second quatrain, the poet continues his argument that it is the beloved's excellence which deserves all the praise, not his verse or wit.
In the third quatrain, the poet urges the young man to become the tenth muse (there being normally only nine), to inspire all writers that call on him to create long lasting poetry (eternal numbers).
In the final couplet, the poet observes that if it should be (as no doubt it is) that his (the poet's) verses please, then the praise should go to the young man, while he (the poet) does all the work (the pain be mine).
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