Analysis of Dreadful Mercy
Your mercy, God, oh—how it startles us!
It shakes us loose from earthly things that bind,
Determined, grim, severe, it visits thus—
In pain, in death—what torment to the mind!
We push you out—no room within our hearts;
They’re full—of fear, and lust, cheap love and greed.
Your Son seeks refuge, but rebuffed departs—
In sorrow contemplates the broken reed…
He tears Himself from heaven’s pure delight,
His sigh of grief becomes incarnate breath.
Aghast at mercy, mindful of His plight,
Asks You to free Him from the grip of death.
He died! He rose! Dealt painful blow to sin.
Oh God—help us to let your mercy in!
Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Shakespearean sonnet |
Metre | 1101111101 1111110111 0101011101 010111101 11111101101 1111011101 1111010101 010100101 1101110101 1111010101 0111010111 1111110111 1111110111 1111111100 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 642 |
Words | 121 |
Sentences | 9 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 2 |
Lines Amount | 14 |
Letters per line (avg) | 34 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 118 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 27 |
About this poem
A sonnet reflecting on God's mercy—seemingly harsh, yet redemptive, purifying…
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Written on February 02, 2022
Submitted by dwayne on January 08, 2023
Modified on March 14, 2023
- 36 sec read
- 45 Views
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"Dreadful Mercy" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/150406/dreadful-mercy>.
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