“Upon the Nipples of Julia’s Breast”

Robert Herrick

Edited by Jack Lynch

The copy-text is Hesperides (London, 1648).


Upon the Nipples of Julia’s Breast.

Have ye beheld (with much delight)
A red-Rose peeping through a white?
Or else a Cherrie (double grac’t)
Within a Lillie? Center plac’t?
Or ever mark’t the pretty beam, [5]
A Strawberry shewes halfe drown’d in Creame?
Or seen rich Rubies blushing through
A pure smooth Pearle, and Orient too?
So like to this, nay all the rest,
Is each neate Niplet of her breast. [10]