Thursday, November 20, 2008

Poetry Thursday VIII

"Death, be not proud"--John Donne

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, not 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 passed, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

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