Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EPITAHPHIUM CAECILLIAE BOULSTRED, by EDWARD HERBERT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EPITAHPHIUM CAECILLIAE BOULSTRED, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Methinks death like one laughing lies
Last Line: And did not die, but left her body dead.
Alternate Author Name(s): Cherbury, 1st Baron Herbert Of; Herbert Of Cherbury, Edward Herbert, 1st Baron; Herbert Of Cherbury, Lord
Subject(s): Future Life; Retribution; Eternity; After Life


METHINKS Death like one laughing lies,
Showing his teeth, shutting his eyes,
Only thus to have found her here
He did with so much reason fear,
And she despise.

For, barring all the gates of sin,
Death's open ways to enter in,
She was with a strict siege beset,
So what by force he could not get,
By time to win.

This mighty warrior was deceived yet,
For what he mutine in her powers thought
Was but their zeal,
And what by their excess might have been wrought
Her fasts did heal.

Till that her noble soul, by these as wings
Transcending the low pitch of earthly things,
As b'ing reliev'd by God and set at large,
And grown by this worthy a higher charge,
Triumphing over Death, to Heaven fled,
And did not die, but left her body dead.





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