By All Love's Soft, Yet Mighty Powers

Portrait of John Wilmot
John Wilmot 1647–1680

By all love's soft, yet mighty powers, It is a thing unfit, That men should fuck in time of flowers, Or when the smock's beshit.

Fair nasty nymph, be clean and kind, And all my joys restore; By using paper still behind, And sponges for before.

My spotless flames can ne'er decay, If after every close, My smoking prick escape the fray, Without a bloody nose.

If thou would have me true, be wise, And take to cleanly sinning, None but fresh lovers' pricks can rise, At Phyllis in foul linen.

Keep reading

Discover more of John Wilmot’s poetry.

Explore all poems

Readers

Reader discussion

Your turn

Shown with your comment.

Never published. Only so we can reach you.

Comments are read before they appear. See our terms.