Pain In Pleasure Poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Pain In Pleasure

Rating: 3.2


A THOUGHT ay like a flower upon mine heart,
And drew around it other thoughts like bees
For multitude and thirst of sweetnesses;
Whereat rejoicing, I desired the art
Of the Greek whistler, who to wharf and mart
Could lure those insect swarms from orange-trees
That I might hive with me such thoughts and please
My soul so, always. foolish counterpart
Of a weak man's vain wishes ! While I spoke,
The thought I called a flower grew nettle-rough
The thoughts, called bees, stung me to festering:
Oh, entertain (cried Reason as she woke)
Your best and gladdest thoughts but long enough,
And they will all prove sad enough to sting !

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Ramesh T A 16 October 2015

Love thoughts pestering one enjoys pleasure in life indeed!

3 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 16 October 2015

To sting like a bee. Nice work.

1 0 Reply
Harmeet 09 July 2019

Nice poetry

0 0 Reply
Susan Williams 16 October 2015

evocative of profound emotions combined with intellectual thought,

23 0 Reply
Jayatissa K. Liyanage 16 October 2015

A exquisitely wrapped up philosophical thought, in to a metaphorical beauty.

3 0 Reply
Savita Tyagi 16 October 2015

Beautiful. A pleasure to read!

2 0 Reply
* Sunprincess * 16 October 2015

...........wonderful poem...I love the similes ★

1 0 Reply
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