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Sonnets on English Dramatic Poets (1590-1650): The Many

Greene, garlanded with February's few flowers,

Ere March came in with Marlowe's rapturous rage:

Peele, from whose hand the sweet white locks of age

Took the mild chaplet woven of honoured hours:

Nash, laughing hard: Lodge, flushed from lyric bowers:

And Lilly, a goldfinch in a twisted cage

Fed by some gay great lady's pettish page

Till short sweet songs gush clear like short spring showers

Kid, whose grim sport still gambolled over graves:

And Chettle, in whose fresh funereal verse

Weeps Marian yet on Robin's wildwood hearse:

Cooke, whose light boat of song one soft breath saves,

Sighed from a maiden's amorous mouth averse:

Live likewise ye: Time takes not you for slaves.

II.

Haughton, whose mirth gave woman all her will:

Field, bright and loud with laughing flower and bird

And keen alternate notes of laud and gird:

Barnes, darkening once with Borgia's deeds the quill

Which tuned the passion of Parthenophil:

Blithe burly Porter, broad and bold of word:

Wilkins, a voice with strenuous pity stirred:

Turk Mason: Brewer, whose tongue drops honey still

Rough Rowley, handling song with Esau's hand:

Light Nabbes: lean Sharpham, rank and raw by turns,

But fragrant with a forethought once of Burns:

Soft Davenport, sad-robed, but blithe and bland:

Brome, gipsy-led across the woodland ferns:

Praise be with all, and place among our band.