From times well passed but not without the enduring sense of lost which accompanys the untimely death of a young child. A goodly number of the 17th century English poets, lived in times that experienced a relatively short life span, worstened by the fact of the very high instances of childhood deaths. Here is a sampling of fathers which had offspring preceded them, well in advance of the opportunity to mature and establish a life. The depth of their lost, lingers through the anguish, and is testament to how entwined the child's life became into the inner workings of that home. Grief personified.
The sad list is as follows;
"She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways"
"Three Years She Grew"
"A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal" (though not his own daughter)
William Woodsworth
"Upon a Child that Died"
Robert Herrick
"Upon Julia's Clothes" (another's daughter and then a wife)
Ben Jonson
"On My First Daughter"
John Donne
Understand the bond which was broken and the loss.
The sad list is as follows;
"She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways"
"Three Years She Grew"
"A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal" (though not his own daughter)
William Woodsworth
"Upon a Child that Died"
Robert Herrick
"Upon Julia's Clothes" (another's daughter and then a wife)
Ben Jonson
"On My First Daughter"
John Donne
Understand the bond which was broken and the loss.
