O Death, O Death, Rock Me Asleep Poem by Anonymous Americas

O Death, O Death, Rock Me Asleep

Rating: 3.3


O Death, O Death, rock me asleep,
Bring me to quiet rest;
Let pass my weary guiltless ghost
Out of my careful breast.
Toll on, thou passing bell;
Ring out my doleful knell;
Thy sound my death abroad will tell,
For I must die,
There is no remedy.

My pains, my pains, who can express?
Alas, they are so strong!
My dolours will not suffer strength
My life for to prolong.
Toll on, thou passing bell;
Ring out my doleful knell;
Thy sound my death abroad will tell,
For I must die,
There is no remedy.

Alone, alone in prison strong
I wail my destiny:
Woe worth this cruel hap that I
Must taste this misery!
Toll on, thou passing bell;
Ring out my doleful knell;
Thy sound my death abroad will tell,
For I must die,
There is no remedy.

Farewell, farewell, my pleasures past!
Welcome, my present pain!
I feel my torment so increase
That life cannot remain.
Cease now, thou passing bell,
Ring out my doleful knoll,
For thou my death dost tell:
Lord, pity thou my soul!
Death doth draw nigh,
Sound dolefully:
For now I die,
I die, I die.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM

yes, I do agree that it is much older than the americas. it doesn't sound the least bit american anyhow. If it indeed was Anne Bolen's work, she must've been a wonderful poetess.

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Courtney Boyd 14 January 2005

This poem, according to my sources, is MUCH older than the Americas. It is often attributed, in fact, to Anne Boleyn, so has been around since at least the 1600's in England!

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