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Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot Lyrics by Richard Burton

Richard Burton Reads the Poetry of John Donne

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Nature’s lay idiot, I taught thee to love
And in that sophistry, oh, thou dost prove
Too subtle: Fool, thou didst not understand
The mystic language of the eye nor hand:
Nor couldst thou judge the difference of the air
Of sighs, and say, this lies, this sounds despair:
Nor by the’eye’s water call a malady
Desperately hot, or changing feverously
I had not taught thee then, the alphabet
Of flowers, how they devicefully being set
And bound up, might with speechless secrecy
Deliver errands mutely, and mutually
Remember since all thy words used to be
To every suitor, “I, ’if my friends agree”;
Since, household charms, thy husband’s name to teach
Were all the love-tricks, that thy wit could reach;
And since, an hour’s discourse could scarce have made
One answer in thee, and that ill arrayed
In broken proverbs, and torn sentences
Thou art not by so many duties his
That from the’world’s common having severed thee
Inlaid thee, neither to be seen, nor see
As mine: who have with amorous delicacies
Refined thee’into a blissful paradise
Thy graces and good words my creatures be;
I planted knowledge and life’s tree in thee
Which oh, shall strangers taste? Must I alas
Frame and enamel plate, and drink in glass?
Chafe wax for others’ seals? break a colt’s force
And leave him then, being made a ready horse?
Credits
Richard Burton

Richard Burton

About “Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot” by Richard Burton

Read the complete lyrics to "Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot" by Richard Burton from the album "Richard Burton Reads the Poetry of John Donne". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot" is performed by Richard Burton. from the album "Richard Burton Reads the Poetry of John Donne" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot", explore more songs by Richard Burton using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot" is credited to Richard Burton. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Elegy VII - Natures Lay Ideot" appears on "Richard Burton Reads the Poetry of John Donne".

Visit the Richard Burton artist page at /artist/richard-burton for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.