This sonnet, with its themes of mortality, repentance, and redemptive purification, seemed an appropriate one for Ash Wednesday!
Holy Sonnet V
I am a little world made cunningly
Of elements, and an angelike sprite;
But black sin hath betrayed to endless night
My world's both parts, and O, both parts must die.
You which beyond that heaven which was most high
Have found new spheres, and of new lands can write,
Pour new seas in mine eyes, that so I might
Drown my world with my weeping earnestly,
Or wash it if it must be drowned no more.
But O, it must be burnt! Alas, the fire
Of lust and envy have burnt it heretofore,
And made it fouler; let their flames retire,
And burn me, O Lord, with a fiery zeal
Of thee and they house, which doth in eating heal.
No comments:
Post a Comment