Thursday, September 30, 2010

Additional Sonnets by Donne, and Milton

                 
Death Be Not Proud
 John Donne (1572-1631)
DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,

For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,

Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,

And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.


On His Blindness
John Milton  (1608–1674)
WHEN I consider how my light is spent

  E're half my days, in this dark world and wide,

  And that one Talent which is death to hide,

  Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present
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  My true account, least he returning chide,

  Doth God exact day-labour, light deny'd,

  I fondly ask; But patience to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need

  Either man's work or his own gifts, who best
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  Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State

Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

  And post o're Land and Ocean without rest:

  They also serve who only stand and waite.






2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed "Death be not proud" because it shows that even the death itself doesnt like its job! I invision a man who is very bored with life, so he turns to the death and makes a deal with him to take the job of death itself! Hmm my mind just went out there!

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  2. I agree with Raymond. In the last few lines, it is saying death is caused by war, sickness, poison and as well as chance and other people such as kings. It's kind of like blaming death for taking so many people?

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