[777] Upon Julia's Clothes

Whenas in silks my Julia goes
Then, then, (methinks) how sweetly flows
That liquefaction of her clothes.

Next, when I cast mine eyes and see
That brave vibration each way free;
Oh, how that glittering taketh me!

	-- Robert Herrick

A brief, yet bewitching poem from Herrick. The sensuous enchantment of his
words rivals anything by the great Romantics, but the choice of topic -
prosaic, and even a bit earthy - sets his poem apart.

thomas.

[Minstrels Links]

Poems by Robert Herrick:
Poem #332, "Delight In Disorder"
Poem #398, "The Night Piece, To Julia"
Poem #593, "The Hag"
Poem #665, "Dreams"
The second of these has a biography and links to several archives of
Herrick's poetry.

Herrick always reminds me of John Donne, both for his technical mastery and
for his outspoken emotion. Check out the following poems by the latter:
Poem #330, "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"
Poem #384, "Song"
Poem #403, "A Lame Beggar"
Poem #465, "The Sun Rising"

[Moreover]

"Upon Julia's Clothes" is but one of several Herrick poems addressed to
Julia; others include "The Night Piece: To Julia", "On Julia's Voice", "A
Ring Presented to Julia", "Julia's Petticoat" and "The Bracelet: To Julia"
(I'm sure there are more). The "Julia" poems (not to be confused with Samuel
Daniel's "Delia" sonnets - see Poem #375 on the Minstrels for an example)
have varying forms and themes, but underlying them all is a wonderfully
romantic love.

Surprisingly, none of the usual references (Britannica, Google) have
anything to say on who this Julia might be. Would some kind member of this
list care to enlighten me?

From: Joe Arthur <joseph@>

   I have always admired this poem. And in accordance with the theory
   that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, let me share with
   you a tribute to Julia's Clothes which appeared in a book and audio
   cassette in Australia some ten years ago, titled

   Upon Julia's Speedos.

   Whenas in Speedos Julia goes,

   Their fabric seemeth to expose

   The wonders it doth juxtapose.

   Next, when I cast mine eyes and see,

   That Lycra, stretching each way free ...

   Tumescence overtaketh me!
   _Joe _arthur
   _Joe Arthur_,
   ph 61 3 _8344 6161_, fax 61 3 _8344 5104__
   Micrographics Centre_,
   Records Services, University of Melbourne
   http://www.unimelb.edu.au/unisec/micro.htm

From: Ajit Narayanan <AjitN@>

c.f. R.L. Stevenson's "Auntie's Skirts":
Whenever Auntie moves around,
Her dresses make a curious sound,
They trail behind her up the floor,
And trundle after through the door.

(Poem 450 on Minstrels,
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/450.html)

It is an interesting question of whether one is a parody of the other.

ajitQ