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Andrew Marvel (1621-1678) was viewed
at the time as being more of a politician (he was an MP from 1659 to 1678) than a poet. Living in the turbulent times
of the English Civil War, and as shifty as a Humber sandbank, he managed to keep his feet (and his head) through several transformations
of the political landscape (from king, to parliament, to king again), all the while proclaiming loudly his divided loyalties.
After the return of King Charles II in 1660, he managed to summon up enough political capital not only to save
his own life, but also that of his good friend John Milton who was otherwise destined for the chop as a traitor to the crown.
Techically, he is regarded as a metaphysical and sometime pastoral poet, however much of his work was more focused
on contemporary political satire and criticism, and was often published anonymously as too hot to touch.
It
is not so easy to find his work in print nowadays, but you will find a free selection of his poems on the PoemHunter website.
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