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To Heaven

By Ben Jonson

Topics: classic

Good, and great God, can I not think of thee, But it must, straight, my melancholy bee? Is it interpreted in mee disease, That, laden with my sinnes. I seeke for ease? O, be thou witnesse, that the reines dost know, And hearts of all, if I be sad for show, And judge mee after: if I dare pretend To ought but grace, or ayme at other end. As thou art all, so be thou all to mee, First, midst, and last, converted one, and three; My faith, my hope, my love: and in this state, My judge, my witnesse, and my advocate. Where have I been this while exil'd from thee? And whither rapt, now thou but stoup'st to mee? Dwell, dwell here still: O, being every-where, How can I doubt to finde thee ever, here? I know my state, both full of shame, and scorne, Conceiv'd in sinne, and unto labour borne, Standing with feare, and must with horror fall, And destin'd unto judgement, after all. I feele my griefes too, and there scarce is ground, Upon my flesh t'inflict another wound. Yet dare I not complaine, or wish for death With holy Paul, lest it be thought the breath Of Discontent; or that these prayers bee For wearinesse of life, not love of thee.

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"Good, and great God, can I not think of thee,..."

Exploring the themes of classic, Ben Jonson delivers a powerful performance in "To Heaven"... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:Ben Jonson

"Good, and great God, can I not think of thee,..." by Ben Jonson

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

Ben Jonson

About Ben Jonson

Ben Jonson (1572–1637) was an English poet, playwright, and critic who became the de facto Poet Laureate. His poems include "Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes" and "To Penshurst," and his masques and comedies made him one of the most important literary figures of the Jacobean era.

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