A Mother's Address to the Deity
The poem explores a mother's emotional turmoil and spiritual struggle as she addresses the deity, questioning God's existence and purpose amidst her child's suffering and death. The speaker grapples with faith, despair, and the human condition, seeking answers to the mysteries of life and mortality. Through this introspective address, the poem delves into themes of grief, loss, and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world.
By James Parkerson · First published 1799 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Elegy, Lyric Poetry · 261 words
First lines
Accept oh Lord! a mother's prayer, And shield my child from sickness here; May Judah, ever constant prove Herself deserving of thy love: Sweet Robert in this vale of tears, Survived with me three sickening years, Before it was thy will to say, He shall the debt of nature pay: On lov'd Maria now I dwell, My grief for her no pen can tell; To spare a mother's pangs she flew, To thee, ere I cou'd say adieu!
The babe was not a year with me, Ere angels wafted her to thee: For Charlotte's life, oh Lord! I pray, And Robert's too both night and day; Should it be thy will to call Them from my sight, I pray, that all My children may obtain a rest, Were souls are number'd with the blest.
What this Textopian page supports
A Mother's Address to the Deity is listed on Textopian as an essay by James Parkerson, dated 1799 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: James Parkerson
- Date: 1799 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Elegy, Lyric Poetry, Family, Sentimental
- Length: 261 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Mother's Address to the Deity by James Parkerson
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Similar titles
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- Open The Doors To Christ by Jorge Mario Bergoglio
- Of Meditation Upon Death by Thomas A. Kempis
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Genres
- Religious Poetry — The text is a prayer addressed to a deity, expressing religious devotion and supplication.
- Elegy — The poem mourns the loss of children and reflects on grief, fitting the characteristics of an elegy.
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses personal emotions and thoughts, typical of lyric poetry.
- Family — The themes revolve around familial relationships and a mother's concern for her children.
Tags
Religious Text · Poetry Collection · Spiritual Writing · Devotional Literature · Christianity · Faith · Meditation · Prayer · Motherhood · Family Values · Parenting · Philosophy of Life
More by James Parkerson
- Lines on the Death of Lord Nelson (1806)
- Written Extempore (1806)
- The Bankrupt (1806)
- The Wretched Pair (1806)
- Characters from Life; Or, Moral Hints. In Verse (1800)
- The Convict's Farewell: with Advice to Criminals, Before and After Trial (1800)
- An Address to the Insolvent (1795)
- To the Memory of an Affectionate Parent (1796)
- All works by James Parkerson