IV.

Oh my blacke Soule! now thou art summoned

By sicknesse, deaths herald, and champion;

Thou art like a pilgrim, which abroad hath done

Treason, and durst not turne to whence hee is fled,

Or like a thiefe, which till deaths doome be read, 5

Wisheth himselfe delivered from prison;

But damn'd and hal'd to execution,

Wisheth that still he might be imprisoned.

Yet grace, if thou repent, thou canst not lacke;

But who shall give thee that grace to beginne? 10

Oh make thy selfe with holy mourning blacke,

And red with blushing, as thou art with sinne;

Or wash thee in Christs blood, which hath this might

That being red, it dyes red soules to white.

[IV. _1635-69:_ II. _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _&c.:_ V. _B_, _O'F_,

_S96_, _W_]

[1 Soule! _1633:_ Soule _1635-69_]

[8 imprisoned. _W:_ imprisoned; _1633-69_]

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2) Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts · 第 258 / 371 题