Robert Herrick

Born in London in 1591, he became one of the best-known Cavalier poets of the 17th century. His work is admired for its clarity, charm, and songlike rhythm, moving easily from playful love lyrics and country celebrations to more serious religious poems.

Herrick is most closely linked with Hesperides, the 1648 collection that includes many of his best-loved poems, along with Noble Numbers, a companion volume of devotional verse. He also spent many years as a clergyman in Devon, and that mix of courtly wit, village life, and spiritual reflection gives his writing its distinctive warmth.

Although he was sometimes overshadowed by other poets of his era, Herrick has remained widely read for the polish and memorability of his poetry. His poems are often brief, but they carry a strong sense of music and a lively awareness that beauty, youth, and life itself do not last forever.