Analysis of In Time of Pestilence
Thomas Nashe 1567 (Lowestoft) – 1601
ADIEU, farewell earth's bliss!
This world uncertain is:
Fond are life's lustful joys,
Death proves them all but toys.
None from his darts can fly;
I am sick, I must die--
Lord, have mercy on us!
Rich men, trust not in wealth,
Gold cannot buy you health;
Physic himself must fade;
All things to end are made;
The plague full swift goes by;
I am sick, I must die--
Lord, have mercy on us!
Beauty is but a flower
Which wrinkles will devour;
Brightness falls from the air;
Queens have died young and fair;
Dust hath closed Helen's eye;
I am sick, I must die--
Lord, have mercy on us!
Strength stoops unto the grave,
Worms feed on Hector brave;
Swords may not fight with fate;
Earth still holds ope her gate;
Come, come! the bells do cry;
I am sick, I must die--
Lord, have mercy on us!
Wit with his wantonness
Tasteth death's bitterness;
Hell's executioner
Hath no ears for to hear
What vain art can reply;
I am sick, I must die--
Lord, have mercy on us!
Haste therefore each degree
To welcome destiny;
Heaven is our heritage,
Earth but a player's stage.
Mount we unto the sky;
I am sick, I must die--
Lord, have mercy on us!
Scheme | axbbcCD eeffcCD gghhcCD iijjcCD adgxcCD kkxxcCD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 01111 110101 111101 111111 111111 111111 111011 111101 110111 10111 111111 011111 111111 111011 1011010 1101010 101101 111101 111101 111111 111011 111001 111101 111111 111101 110111 111111 111011 1111 11100 10100 111111 111101 111111 111011 11101 110100 10110100 110101 111001 111111 111011 |
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 1,147 |
Words | 214 |
Sentences | 11 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7 |
Lines Amount | 42 |
Letters per line (avg) | 20 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 141 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 35 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:06 min read
- 94 Views
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"In Time of Pestilence" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/36962/in-time-of-pestilence>.
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