Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LONDON'S FATAL-FALL; BEING AN ACROSTICK, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LONDON'S FATAL-FALL; BEING AN ACROSTICK, by                    
First Line: L o! Now confused heaps only stand
Last Line: Y ield us more blessings unto those before
Subject(s): London Fire (1666); Great Fire Of 1666


Lo! now confused Heaps only stand
On what did bear the Glory of the Land.
No Stately Places, no Edefices,
Do now appear: No, here's now none of these,
Oh Cruel Fates! Can ye be so unkind?
Not to leave, scarce a Mansion behind.

Let England then lament, and let her keep
Adismal day, let every Soul to weep
To wash away those Sins, that thus provoke
Eternal Heavens all-consuming stroke.
Let Penitential Tears quench out the Fire
Yet reigning in our Lusts, let that expire.

Else we can have no blessed Confidence,
Nor hopes in Heavens merciful Defence.
Grace is the best inducement too to move
Love from the God of Mercies, God of Love.
Asighing Heart becomes this Tragedy,
Nero's may laugh at it, so must not we.
Don't soon forget this greatest Accident,
Since Julius Caesar enter'd into Kent.

Greatest of Men or Cities, now ye see
Lay subject unto Heavens just Decree.
Olet us then be careful to prevent
Religiously, such future punishment.
Yesterday though not thought of, yet ye see

Nothing today but sad extremity:
Obdurate Hearts might melt to see a flame,
Which made e'en Bells themselves to do the same.
Barbarians may weep to see a City
Esteem'd so much, destroy'd, (Ah pitty! pitty!)
Conduits not now, but Gutters, ran with Wine.
Oils also did unto the like combine.
Mortality ne'er Men so fast did mow,

As the consuming Flames did Housen now.

Troy's Flames were fatal, What did those begin?
Rape was the cause of that, and that was Sin.
And we have Hellen's too too many, that
God knows, our guilt (I fear) do aggravate.
Incontinency's (in our sinful time)
Call'd by fond Man, a Failing, not a Crime;
Knowledge by Will is so disfigured,

Satan now as a Saint is worshipped.
Then this it is, (We cannot but confess)
Obtrudeth Judgments on our happiness.
Repent then, God will (if we Sin no more)
Yield us more Blessings unto those before.





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