Poem by John Donne

The Funeral

WHOEVER comes to shroud me, do not harm,
          Nor question much,
That subtle wreath of hair, which crowns my arm;
The mystery, the sign, you must not touch;
          For 'tis my outward soul,
Viceroy to that, which then to heaven being gone,
          Will leave this to control
And keep these limbs, her provinces, from dissolution.

For if the sinewy thread my brain lets fall
          Through every part
Can tie those parts, and make me one of all,
Those hairs which upward grew, and strength and art
          Have from a better brain,
Can better do 't; except she meant that I
          By this should know my pain,
As prisoners then are manacled, when they're condemn'd to die.

Whate'er she meant by it, bury it with me,
          For since I am
Love's martyr, it might breed idolatry,
If into other hands these relics came.
          As 'twas humility
To afford to it all that a soul can do,
          So 'tis some bravery,
That since you would have none of me, I bury some of you. 

1. Fall of a Wall
2. Temple
3. The Damp
4. Oh My Blacke Soule! Now Thou Art Summoned
5. The Indifferent

Print

6105 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version