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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  181. Man

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Sir John Davies. 1569–1626

181. Man

I KNOW my soul hath power to know all things, 
Yet she is blind and ignorant in all: 
I know I’m one of Nature’s little kings, 
Yet to the least and vilest things am thrall. 
 
I know my life ‘s a pain and but a span;         5
I know my sense is mock’d in everything; 
And, to conclude, I know myself a Man— 
Which is a proud and yet a wretched thing.