O! Might those Sighs and Tears Return Again
The speaker begs that the sighs and tears he has already spent might return to his breast and eyes, so that he could mourn with some fruit in this holy discontent, rather than having mourned in vain. He reflects on how, in his idolatry, his eyes wasted showers of rain and his heart was rent by griefs. He now repents that his sufferance was itself his sin; because he did suffer then, he must suffer pain now. He observes that the hydroptic drunkard, the night-scouting thief, the itchy lecher, and the self-tickling proud all retain the remembrance of past joys, which gives them relief from coming ills. To him, poor as he is, no such ease is allowed, for his grief has been long yet vehement, serving as both the effect and the cause, the punishment and the sin.
By John Donne · First published 1633 · Genre: Metaphysical Poetry, Devotional Poetry, Religious Poetry · 176 words
First lines
O! might those sighs and tears return again / Into my breast and eyes, which I have spent, / That I might in this holy discontent / Mourn with some fruit, as I have mourn'd in vain. / In mine idolatry what showers of rain / Mine eyes did waste? what griefs my heart did rent? / That sufferance was my sin, I now repent; / 'Cause I did suffer, I must suffer pain. / Th' hydroptic drunkard, and night-scouting thief, / The itchy lecher, and self-tickling proud / Have the remembrance of past joys, for relief / Of coming ills. To poor me is allow'd / No ease; for long, yet vehement grief hath been / Th' effect and cause, the punishment and sin.
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O! Might those Sighs and Tears Return Again is listed on Textopian as a poem by John Donne, dated 1633 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: John Donne
- Date: 1633 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Metaphysical Poetry, Devotional Poetry, Religious Poetry, Sonnet, Lyric Poetry
- Length: 176 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Metaphysical Poetry — Exhibits Donne's signature intellectual rigor and paradoxical wit, employing abstract conceits to explore complex emotional and theological themes with characteristic precision and surprise.
- Devotional Poetry — Structured as spiritual meditation and confession, expressing the speaker's relationship with divine grace through penitential reflection on idolatry and sacred suffering.
- Religious Poetry — Centered on spiritual repentance, moral examination of sin, and the paradox of suffering as both punishment and redemption within a sacred framework.
- Sonnet — Adheres to the traditional 14-line sonnet form with structured iambic pentameter and volta construction, exemplifying the formal poetic genre in English tradition.
Tags
holy sonnet · lament · spiritual · metaphysical · repentance · sin · idolatry · suffering · tears · sorrow · penitence · divine punishment