"Still to be Neat" by Ben Jonson

This poem is an amazing poem just because of the depth, sincerity, and meaning it has behind it. This poem not only was applicable to the men and women of that day and age but of today too. This poem talks about the struggles of women and the problems of men not addressing them.

Still to be neat, still to be dressed

As you were going to a feast;

Still to be powdered, still perfumed;

{Jonson is talking about these lovely girls just getting ready for banquets and balls and just going out. This is his introduction, leading up to his true point.}

Lady, it is to be presumed,

Though art’s hid causes are not found,

All is not sweet, all is not sound.

{In these three lines, I think of how girls put on so much makeup during the day. Jonson is asking, "what is there to hide?" because girls are pretty without their makeup. Maybe this might be more of the mens fault because they don't remind girls too often.}

                 

Give me a look, give me a face, 

That makes simplicity a grace; {Jonson is really looking for girls that have little to no makeup on. Therefore, he can see a girl for what she really is, not what she has to hide behind.}

Robes loosely flowing, hair as free;

Such sweet neglect more taketh me {Jonson is saying how much more beautiful girls are when they have that look of just getting up in the morning or that natural look.}

Than all th’ adulteries of art.

They strike mine eyes, but not my heart. {Yes, girls can be pretty with makeup and it will look attractive. But that's just it, it will look attractive the the eyes, not to the heart. When a man can see your true beauty, without the makeup, that will make his heart pay attention.}

I honestly had no clue what this poem meant. I read it, and I was just thinking to myself that this poem is just written in Old English, and there was no way I was going to understand it. I started to read deeper into this though. The author really likes girls. Of course, being Colby, I can relate to this a lot. So I thought to myself, "this guy knows what's going on, I have to look into this a bit more." Jonson is talking about how girls put on this shield or this mask to hide behind when they shouldn't! They're beautiful just as they are. Why would they have to cover themselves? It's like wiping a dog's poop all over a diamond ring. Why would someone do that? This is a problem with today's society because the media of today is just putting out false advertisements of young women that should dress like this. That girls should be like this or conform to this way. That's wrong! Though it's not wrong to put on makeup, and girls can look pretty doing it, but it will probably attract mens eyes not the heart. This is not only a woman problem, but also a problem for the men. Women should not have to feel this way because the men should be reminding women how beautiful they truly are. People of today, both men and women, need to apply themselves to this poem and fix this problem.

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 1992. 303. Print.