Poem: Death, be not proud

Death Be not Proud part two by Michahsbitch

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

~ John Donne

Poem: Death, be not proud

Death Be not Proud part two by Michahsbitch

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

~ John Donne

Confined Love

Photo credit: bullboy from morguefile.com

Some man unworthy to be possessor

Of old or new love, himself being false or weak,

Thought his pain and shame would be lesser

If on womankind he might his anger wreak,

And thence a law did grow,

One might but one man know;

But are other creatures so?

Are Sun, Moon, or Stars by law forbidden

To smile where they list, or lend away their light?

Are birds divorced, or are they chidden

If they leave their mate, or lie abroad a-night?

Beasts do no jointures lose

Though they new lovers choose,

But we are made worse than those.

Who e'er rigged fair ship to lie in harbours

And not to seek new lands, or not to deal withal?

Or built fair houses, set trees, and arbors,

Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?

Good is not good unless

A thousand it possess,

But dost waste with greediness.

~ John Donne

Confined Love

Photo credit: bullboy from morguefile.com

Some man unworthy to be possessor

Of old or new love, himself being false or weak,

Thought his pain and shame would be lesser

If on womankind he might his anger wreak,

And thence a law did grow,

One might but one man know;

But are other creatures so?

Are Sun, Moon, or Stars by law forbidden

To smile where they list, or lend away their light?

Are birds divorced, or are they chidden

If they leave their mate, or lie abroad a-night?

Beasts do no jointures lose

Though they new lovers choose,

But we are made worse than those.

Who e'er rigged fair ship to lie in harbours

And not to seek new lands, or not to deal withal?

Or built fair houses, set trees, and arbors,

Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?

Good is not good unless

A thousand it possess,

But dost waste with greediness.

~ John Donne