Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
William Drummond of Hawthornden Sonnet c
O Wofull Life! Life, no, but living Death,
Fraile Boat of Christall in a rockie Sea,
A Sport expos'd to Fortunes stormie Breath,
Which kept with Paine, with Terrour doth decay:
The false Delights, true Woes thou dost bequeath,
Mine all-appalled Minde doe so affraye,
That I those envie who are laid in Earth,
And pittie them that runne thy dreadfull Waye.
When did mine Eyes behold one chearefull Morne?
When had my tossed Soule one Night of Rest?
When did not hatefull Starres my Projects scorne?
O! now I finde for Mortalls what is best:
Even, sith our voyage shamefull is, and short,
Soone to strike Saile, and perish in the Port.
Website Terms of Use