Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BALLADE: 28, by THOMAS WYATT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BALLADE: 28, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: To make an end of all this strife
Last Line: This end to make.
Alternate Author Name(s): Wyat, Thomas
Subject(s): Death; Fortune; Life; Pain; Dead, The; Suffering; Misery


To make an end of all this strife,
No longer time for to sustain,
But now with death to change the life
Of him that lives always in pain;
Despair such power hath in his hand,
That helpeth most I know certain
May not withstand.

May not withstand that is elect
By fortune's most extremity;
But all in worth to be except
Withouten law or liberty;
What vaileth then unto my thought?
If right can have no remedy,
There vaileth naught.

There vaileth naught, but all in vain;
The fault thereof may none amend
But only death, for to constrain
This spiteful hap to have an end:
So great disdain doth me provoke
That dread of death cannot defend
This deadly stroke.

This deadly stroke, whereby shall cease
The harbored sighs within my heart,
And for the gift of this release
My hand in haste shall play his part,
To do this cure against his kind,
For change of life from long desert
To place assigned.

To place assigned forevermore,
Now by constraint I do agree
To loose the bond of my restore,
Wherein is bound my liberty;
Death and despair doth undertake
From all mishap now hardily
This end to make.





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