His Meditation Upon Death

 BE those few hours, which I have yet to spend, 
Blest with the meditation of my end; 
Though they be few in number, I'm content; 
If otherwise, I stand indifferent, 
Nor makes it matter, Nestor's years to tell, 
If man lives long, and if he live not well. 
A multitude of days still heaped on 
Seldom brings order, but confusion. 
Might I make choice, long life should be with-stood;
Nor would I care how short it were, if good; 
Which to effect, let ev'ry passing bell 
Possess my thoughts, next comes my doleful knell; 
And when the night persuades me to my bed, 
I'll think I'm going to be buried; 
So shall the blankets which come over me 
Present those turfs, which once must cover me;
And with as firm behaviour I will meet 
The sheet I sleep in, as my winding-sheet. 
When Sleep shall bathe his body in mine eyes, 
I will believe, that then my body dies; 
And if I chance to wake, and rise thereon, 
I'll have in mind my resurrection, 
Which must produce me to that Gen'ral Doom,
To which the peasant, so the prince must come, 
To hear the Judge give sentence on the Throne, 
Without the least hope of affection. 
Tears, at that day, shall make but weak defense, 
When Hell and horror fright the conscience. 
Let me, though late, yet at the last, begin 
To shun the least temptation to a sin; 
Though to be tempted be no sin, until 
Man to th'alluring object gives his will. 
Such let my life assure me, when my breath 
Goes thieving from me, I am safe in death; 
Which is the height of comfort, when I fall, 
I rise triumphant in my funeral.




Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter