Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMY, FOR MOST PART ACCORDING TO TREMELIUS: 2, by JOHN DONNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: How over sions daughter hath god hung Last Line: Brought up, did perish by mine enemie. | ||||||||
1 How over Sions daughter hath God hung His wraths thicke cloud! and from heaven hath flung To earth the beauty of Israel, and hath Forgot his foot-stoole in the day of wrath! 2 The Lord unsparingly hath swallowed All Jacobs dwellings, and demolished To ground the strengths of Juda, and prophan'd The Princes of the Kingdome, and the land. 3 In heat of wrath, the horne of Israel hee Hath cleane cut off, and lest the enemie Be hindred, his right hand he doth retire, But is towards Jacob, All-devouring fire. 4 Like to an enemie he bent his bow, His right hand was in posture of a foe, To kill what Sions daughter did desire, 'Gainst whom his wrath, he poured forth, like fire. 5 For like an enemie Jehova is, Devouring Israel, and his Palaces, Destroying holds, giving additions To Juda's daughters lamentations. 6 Like to a garden hedge he hath cast downe The place where was his congregation, And Sions feasts and sabbaths are forgot; Her King, her Priest, his wrath regardeth not. 7 The Lord forsakes his Altar, and detests His Sanctuary, and in the foes hand rests His Palace, and the walls, in which their cries Are heard, as in the true solemnities. 8 The Lord hath cast a line, so to confound And levell Sions walls unto the ground; He drawes not back his hand, which doth oreturne The wall, and Rampart, which together mourne. 9 Their gates are sunke into the ground, and hee Hath broke the barres; their King and Princes bee Amongst the heathen, without law, nor there Unto their Prophets doth the Lord appeare. 10 There Sions Elders on the ground are plac'd, And silence keepe; Dust on their heads they cast, In sackcloth have they girt themselves, and low The Virgins towards ground, their heads do throw. 11 My bowells are growne muddy, and mine eyes Are faint with weeping: and my liver lies Pour'd out upon the ground, for miserie That sucking children in the streets doe die. 12 When they had cryed unto their Mothers, where Shall we have bread, and drinke? they fainted there, And in the streets like wounded persons lay Till 'twixt their mothers breasts they went away. 13 Daughter Jerusalem, Oh what may bee A witnesse, or comparison for thee? Sion, to ease thee, what shall I name like thee? Thy breach is like the sea, what help can bee? 14 For thee vaine foolish things thy Prophets sought, Thee, thine iniquities they have not taught, Which might disturne thy bondage: but for thee False burthens, and false causes they would see. 15 The passengers doe clap their hands, and hisse, And wag their head at thee, and say, Is this That citie, which so many men did call Joy of the earth, and perfectest of all? 16 Thy foes doe gape upon thee, and they hisse, And gnash their teeth, and say, Devoure wee this, For this is certainly the day which wee Expected, and which now we finde, and see. 17 The Lord hath done that which he purposed, Fulfill'd his word of old determined; He hath throwne downe, and not spar'd, and thy foe Made glad above thee, and advanc'd him so. 18 But now, their hearts against the Lord do call, Therefore, O walls of Sion, let teares fall Downe like a river, day and night; take thee No rest, but let thine eye incessant be. 19 Arise, cry in the night, poure, for thy sinnes, Thy heart, like water, when the watch begins; Lift up thy hands to God, lest children dye, Which, faint for hunger, in the streets doe lye. 20 Behold O Lord, consider unto whom Thou hast done this; what, shall the women come To eate their children of a spanne? shall thy Prophet and Priest be slaine in Sanctuary? 21 On ground in streets, the yong and old do lye, My virgins and yong men by sword do dye; Them in the day of thy wrath thou hast slaine, Nothing did thee from killing them containe. 22 As to a solemne feast, all whom I fear'd Thou call'st about mee; when thy wrath appear'd, None did remaine or scape, for those which I Brought up, did perish by mine enemie. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A HYMN TO CHRIST, AT THE AUTHOR'S LAST GOING INTO GERMANY by JOHN DONNE A HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER by JOHN DONNE A LECTURE UPON THE SHADOW by JOHN DONNE A NOCTURNAL UPON ST. LUCY'S DAY, BEING THE SHORTEST DAY by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: FORBIDDING MOURNING by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: OF MY NAME IN THE WINDOW by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: OF THE BOOKE by JOHN DONNE A VALEDICTION: OF WEEPING by JOHN DONNE AN ANATOMY OF THE WORLD: THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY by JOHN DONNE ELEGY: 11. THE BRACELET; UPON THE LOSS OF HIS MISTRESS'S CHAIN by JOHN DONNE |
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