Fair Daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

Stay, stay,

Until the hasting day

Has run

But to the even-song;

And, having pray'd together, we

Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

We die

As your hours do, and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

Ne'er to be found again.

Robert Herrick (1591-1674) was an English lyric poet and cleric. His notable work includes Hesperides - a book of poems. This collection contains more than 1200 short poems, such as epistles, epigrams and love poems. He was influenced by classical Roman poetry and wrote on pastoral themes.

Robert Herrick was highly influenced by the seventeenth-century poet Ben Jonson. Read a few poems written by Ben Jonson. What differences and similarities can you spot between the writing styles of these two poets?

Herrick was known for writing lyrical poetry. A lyrical poem is a collection of verses, often expressing romantic or strong emotions. These poems have a song-like rhythm.

The seventeenth-century England saw the rise of two groups of poets -- metaphysical, who wrote in a witty and complicated style, and Cavalier, whose poetic style was simpler, lighter and more elegant that that of metaphysical poets. Herrick belonged to the group of Cavalier poets.