Analysis of Preparatory Meditations - First Series: 39
Edward Taylor 1642 (Coventry) – 1729
(I John 2:1. If any Man Sin, We Have an Advocate)
My sin! My sin, my God, these cursed dregs,
Green, yellow, blue-streaked poison hellish, rank,
Bubs hatched in nature's nest on serpents' eggs,
Yelp, chirp, and cry; they set my soul a-cramp.
I frown, chide, strike, and fight them, mourn and cry
To conquer them, but cannot them destroy.
I cannot kill or coop them up: my curb
'S less than a snaffle in their mouth: my reins
They as a twine thread snap: by hell they're spurred:
And load my soul with swagging loads of pains.
Black imps, young devils, snap, bite, drag to bring
And pick me headlong hell's dread whirlpool in.
Lord, hold Thy hand: for handle me Thou mayst
In wrath: but oh, a twinkling ray of hope
Methinks I spy Thou graciously display'st.
There is an advocate: a door is ope.
Sin's poison swell my heart would till it burst,
Did not a hope hence creep in 't thus and nurse 't.
Joy, joy, God's son's the sinner's advocate,
Doth plead the sinner guiltless, and a saint.
But yet attornies' pleas spring from the state,
The case is in: if bad, it's bad in plaint.
My papers do contain no pleas that do
Secure me from, but knock me down to, woe.
I have no plea mine advocate to give:
What now? He'll anvil arguments great store
Out of His flesh and blood to make thee live.
O dear-bought arguments: good pleas therefore.
Nails made of heavenly steel, more choice than gold
Drove home, well-clenched, eternally will hold.
Oh! Dear-bought plea, dear Lord, what buy 't so dear?
What with Thy blood purchase Thy plea for me?
Take argument out of Thy grave t' appear
And plead my case with, me from guilt to free.
These maul both sin and devils, and amaze
Both saints and angels; wreathe their mouths with praise.
What shall I do, my Lord? What do, that I
May have Thee plead my case? I fee Thee will
With faith, repentance, and obediently
Thy service gainst Satanic sins fulfill.
I'll fight Thy fields while live I do, although
I should be hacked in pieces by Thy foe.
Make me Thy friend, Lord, be my surety: I
Will be Thy client, be my advocate:
My sins make Thine, Thy pleas make mine hereby.
Thou wilt me save, I will Thee celebrate.
Thou'lt kill my sins that cut my heart within:
And my rough feet shall Thy smooth praises sing.
Scheme | A BXBCDX XEXEFG AXXCXH AXIAXJ XKXKLL MHMHNN DOHOJJ DADIGF |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1111011111100 111111111 1101110101 1101011101 1101111101 1111011101 1101110101 1101111111 1110101111 1101111111 011111111 1111011111 01111110 1111110111 01110100111 1111100011 1111000111 1101111111 110111011011 111101100 1101010001 11111101 0110111101 1101011111 0111111111 1111110011 1111010011 1111011111 111100111 11110011111 1111010011 11111111111 1111101111 11001111101 0111111111 1111010001 1101011111 1111111111 1111111111 11010001000 1101010101 111111111 1111010111 11111111001 1111011100 1111111101 111111110 1111111101 0111111101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 2,201 |
Words | 421 |
Sentences | 29 |
Stanzas | 9 |
Stanza Lengths | 1, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 |
Lines Amount | 49 |
Letters per line (avg) | 35 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 190 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 46 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 2:10 min read
- 70 Views
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"Preparatory Meditations - First Series: 39" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/9808/preparatory-meditations---first-series%3A-39>.
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