Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, JOHN DONNE, by FRANK WILMOT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

JOHN DONNE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Art coming home?' god said to me
Last Line: That you and god had loved me so?
Alternate Author Name(s): Maurice, Furnley
Subject(s): Donne, John (1572-1631); Poetry & Poets


'ART coming home?' God said to me,
Yea, with a winsome sadness said:
'The starshine shall thy candle be;
Cherubs will smooth thy cloudy bed.'
I was in love with sin and so
I shook my head. I answered 'No!'

And when I to the tavern came
The bawdy women drinking there
Told of a girl without a name
New come our shameless life to share.
I saw the stranger woman smile
And swore 'You're mine by right or guile.'

She murmured 'You to me!' and made
The lecherous look, the secret sign.
I, as she fled, pursuing, said
'Make you your glorious body mine!'
Heard I a sob? Saw I a tear?
She thrust me back: 'Not here; not here!'

Past hill, past gully, bush and mire
She raced, and my exhausted breath
Shrivelled the flowers in my desire.
It seemed I cried from very death:
'When shall my arms encompass you?'
'Not here!' she said and farther flew.

I saw a gate, I saw a light,
I heard far music and I fell,
And all things faded but a might
Of fear that I had fallen on Hell.
But still I saw her wondrous eyes
That held the lure of Paradise.

I woke; in your soft arms I lay,
Your mouth upon my mouth was pressed.
'Twas you who brought me that hard way
To love and God and quiet rest!
Hungry and bleeding, torn with pain
I found myself in Heaven again.

'Thou hast come home!' God said to me,
Yea, with a pitying smile He said:

'The starshine will thy candle be;
Come, cherubs, smooth their cloudy bed!'
And there was peace. How could I know
That you and God had loved me so?





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