Sonnet: Death, Thou Art Great! Poem by Dr John Celes

Death, Thou art not as cruel as I thought!
Today, I understand Thy special role;
And without thee, this world would be a naught;
Neither Heaven nor Hell would get a soul!

O Death, Thou Thief of Time, when world began!
How stealthily thy job, Thou renderest!
Of all God’s creatures, Thou art cursed by man;
Although, Thou servest him Thy very best.

If man knew when Thou taketh him away,
He would make up for all his sinful ways;
And keep accounts straight for God’s Judgment-Day,
When Hell would cease to exist in that case.

When Heaven could turn meaningless a place!
Then how would men ev’r see the Maker’s face?