Poem by Michael Drayton

Sonnet 12. That Learned Father

To the Soul

That learned Father, who so firmly proves
The Soul of man immortal and divine,
And doth the several offices define:
Anima - Gives her that name, as she the Body moves;
Amor - Then is she Love, embracing charity;
Animus - Moving a Will in us, it is the Mind
Mens - Retaining knowledge, still the same in kind;
Memoria - As intellectual, it is Memory;
Ratio - In judging, Reason only is her name;
Sensus - In speedy apprehension, it is Sense;
Conscientia - In right or wrong, they call her Conscience;
Spiritus - The Spirit, when it to Godward doth inflame.
These of the Soul the several functions be,
Which my Heart, lighten'd by thy love, doth see. 

1. Sonnet 37. Dear, why should You Command Me to My Rest
2. Sonnet 46. Plain-path'd Experience
3. Sonnet 16. Mongst all the Creatures in this Spacious Round
4. Sonnet 57. You Best Discern'd of my Mind's Inward Eyes
5. Sonnet 19. You Cannot Love

Print

1550 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version