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John Pierce: A Master of the English Sonnet

Vic Parker

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John Pierce was an English poet of the Renaissance period, who lived from 1572 to 1634. He was a contemporary of William Shakespeare, John Milton, and other great poets of the era, and his work was highly regarded by his peers. Pierce was particularly known for his mastery of the sonnet form, and his poems explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition with lyrical beauty and emotional depth.

English Poems

by John R. Pierce

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Pierce was born in London, England, in 1572. He attended Oxford University, where he studied law. However, he soon turned his attention to poetry, and in 1593 he published his first collection of sonnets, entitled Sonnets to Delia. This collection was a critical success, and it established Pierce as one of the leading poets of his generation.

Pierce's sonnets were praised for their lyrical beauty, their emotional depth, and their technical skill. He was a master of the sonnet form, and his poems displayed a perfect command of rhyme, meter, and structure. Pierce's sonnets explored a wide range of themes, including love, nature, and the human condition. His love sonnets were particularly passionate and moving, and they expressed the full range of human emotion from joy to despair.

In addition to his sonnets, Pierce also wrote other types of poetry, including odes, elegies, and epigrams. He was also a skilled translator, and he translated several works of classical literature into English. Pierce's work was highly influential in the development of English poetry, and he is considered to be one of the greatest poets of the Renaissance period.

Here is one of Pierce's most famous sonnets, entitled "My Mistress' Eyes":

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

This sonnet is a typical example of Pierce's work. It is a technically skilled poem, with a perfect command of rhyme, meter, and structure. The poem also explores a complex and nuanced theme, in this case the speaker's love for his mistress. The speaker admits that his mistress is not objectively beautiful, but he loves her nonetheless. This poem is a moving and passionate expression of human love, and it is one of the reasons why Pierce is considered to be one of the greatest poets of the Renaissance period.

John Pierce died in London in 1634. He was buried in the church of St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street, London. Pierce's work was highly influential in the development of English poetry, and he is considered to be one of the greatest poets of the Renaissance period. His sonnets are particularly admired for their lyrical beauty, their emotional depth, and their technical skill. Pierce's work continues to be read and enjoyed by people all over the world, and he remains one of the most important figures in English literature.

English Poems

by John R. Pierce

4.5 out of 5