A Burnt Ship (by John Donne)


Click this picture to view an index of John Donne poems available in the Crisis Chronicles Online Library
John Donne, 1572-1631


A Burnt Ship

Out of a fired ship, which by no way
But drowning could be rescued from the flame,
Some men leap'd forth, and ever as they came
Near the foes' ships, did by their shot decay;
So all were lost, which in the ship were found,
      They in the sea being burnt, they in the burnt ship drown'd.


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Comments

  • 9/13/2008 10:33 PM chris wrote:
    I guess I like this because it's still accessible to todays reader. Sometimes older poetry is not...This actually even though it's short takes a few readings to get its full tragic impact. It makes me wonder if he was an actual witness to this...
    Reply to this
    1. 9/14/2008 5:38 AM Jesus Crisis wrote:
      I'm not certain if he was a witness or if it was based on real events (I suspect so).

      I also think of it as a disturbing metaphor for the fate of our world and humanity.  Even our "survivors" and war "winners" will eventually meet the same fate as the so-called doomed and losers.

      Interesting to note that Donne was also an Episcopal priest....

      I will be posting more of his work in the near future.

      Reply to this
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