Life, 1916-04-20 · page 10 of 52
Life — April 20, 1916 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents three poems attributed to the Elizabethan era, framed within ornate decorative borders typical of early Life magazine presentation. The poems are: 1. **"My Queen"** - dated May 29, 1592 2. **"Absent"** - dated July 1600 3. **"Stratford"** - dated June 17, 1606 A footnote indicates these are from "My Friend Shakespeare," edited by John Ernest Warren, sourced from an old manuscript by actor Horatio Brammer. Rather than satire, this appears to be a literary feature celebrating Renaissance poetry. The ornamental borders and careful typography suggest Life's approach to presenting cultural content for educated readers. The Stratford poem's references to England's countryside and the Avon river connect to Shakespeare's birthplace, though the attribution and authenticity remain unclear from this page alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Elizabethan Lyrics* My Queen ING high, the lark! As high, my heart! My Queen's in London town! Not the one who plays the part Beneath the jewelled crown: But she beneath the lyric hat, In snowy furbelows, Who makes my heart go patapat, From ‘wildered head to toes! Sing low, ye winds: sing, nightingale, The saddest song you know. Vanish, moon! Ye stars, grow pale! O Thames, now cease to flow! Her wild rose face no more I see, Her heartbeats no more feel! I'm flying through eternity Upon Ixion’s Wheel! May 29, 1597. W.S. Absent OVE in my heart is bond, yet free, And sings all night and day. And yet my love is not with me, But far and far away. My love is here, my love is there, So it is bond, yet free, As any slave, as is the air, _ As any tree, or bee! The tree is rooted, cannot stir; The bee roams where it will. Its honey thirst is its light spur Through fields of daffodil. And my iove thirsts for honey, too, But where’s the honey—say, When crimson lips and eyes of blue Are, bee-like, far away? July, 1600. Stratford LITTLE town of Stratford Upon the Avon's banks, How often have I lifted For thee to God my thanks! There every bird its mate has, And every flower its crown, And all the larks of England Sing over Stratford town! O little town of Stratford, Dear England's honied heart! God placed thee in the springtime On England's wintry chart: And then He smiled upon thee, Until King Winter sighed, And then the Avon rippled A song as Winter died! O little town of Stratford, O dearest town and best, My body lives in London, My heart on Avon's breast. From London town to Stratford Tt flies on swallow’s wings, And, as it flies, to heaven In gratitude it sings! June 17, 1606. WwW. S. *From an old MS.,“ My Friend Shakespeare,” by Horatio Brimmer, actor. Edited by John Ernest Warren, & oe sR STR FY @ Lean S Je) comicbooks.com