Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SPARK, by JOSEPH MARY PLUNKETT Poet's Biography First Line: Because I used to shun Last Line: With laughter on our lips. Subject(s): Death; Dead, The | ||||||||
BECAUSE I used to shun Death and the mouth of hell And count my battles won If I should see the sun The blood and smoke dispel, Because I used to pray That living I might see The dawning light of day Set me upon my way And from my fetters free, Because I used to seek Your answer to my prayer And that your soul should speak For strengthening of the weak To struggle with despair, Now I have seen my shame That I should thus deny My soul's divinest flame, Now shall I shout your name, Now shall I seek to die. By any hands but these In battle or in flood, On any lands or seas, No more shall I spare ease, No more shall I spare blood When I have need to fight For heaven or for your heart, Against the powers of light Or darkness I shall smite Until their might depart, Because I know the spark Of God has no eclipse, Now Death and I embark And sail into the dark With laughter on our lips. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND TO HIS WIFE ON THE 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER WEDDING DAY, WITH A RING by SAMUEL BISHOP |
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