John Donne - 8 - Miscellany 1

Whoever comes to shroud me, do not harm
Nor question much
That subtle wreath of hair, which crowns my arm;
The mystery, the sign, you must not touch,
For 'tis my outward soul,
Viceroy to that, which then to heaven being gone,
Will leave this to control
And keep these limbs, her provinces, from dissolution.

For if the sinewy thread my brain lets fall
Through every part
Can tie those parts, and make me one of all,
Those hairs which upward grew, and strength and art
Have from a better brain,
Can better do'it; except she meant that I
By this should know my pain,
As prisoners then are manacled, when they'are condemn'd to die.

Whate'er she meant by'it, bury it with me,
For since I am
Love's martyr, it might breed idolatry,
If into other hands these relics came;
As 'twas humility
To afford to it all that a soul can do,
So, 'tis some bravery,
That since you would have none of me, I bury some of you.

Seventeen poems of John Donne.Kindly seed.

John Donne - 1 - Love Poems read by Richard Burton
John Donne - 2 - read by Corin and Vanessa Redgrave
John Donne - 3 - Penguin Audiobooks
John Donne - 4 - Argo
John Donne - 5 - Robert Speaight
John Donne - 6 - Christopher Hassall
John Donne - 7 - Will Keen & Geoffrey Whitehead