2. A Hymn to God the Father
Wilt thou forgive what sin where I begun, Which is my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run, And do run still: though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done, For, I have more.
Wilt thou forgive that sin by which I have won Others to sin? And made my sin their door?
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun A year or two: but wallowed in, a score?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done, For, I have more
I have a sin of fear, that when I have won My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
Swear by thyself, that at my death thy son Shall shine as he shines now and here heretofore;
And, having done that, thou hast done, I fear no more.
“A Hymn to God the Father” is a poem which is tells about the speaker’s supplicating to penance for his sins. The poem itself divided into three stanzas,
each stanza divided into six lines. The entire rime scheme of the poem rests on two rimes; each stanza’s scheme is ABABAB.
The first stanza in the first line, Wilt Thou forgive that sin where I begun means that the speaker begins his prayer asking for forgiveness for his sin to his
God, the sin since he ever begun in his life. In line 2, Which is my sin, though it
were done before?. He says that he has the original sin of being born of man and
woman, the sin since he was born. Although he knows he does not remember choosing to be born, he knows that the fact that he is incarnated indicates that he
is not soul perfected, he has karma to burn, and he must reap what he has sown. The speaker’s sin consciousness demonstrates that he has made significant
progress as a devotee from the days when he was using his wit and charm to seduce a virgin.
But in addition to the original sin, he is aware that he has been locked in the physical body with animal lusts that he has difficulty controlling. In line 3 to
line 6, Wilt Thou forgives that sin, through which I run, And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done. When his God has forgive the sins that he has made before “thou hast not done, For, I have more”. The speaker also hopes
that his God will forgive his sin which is still he does in his life continuously. He is ashamed of that sin and hates it, but he needs divine aid in overcoming it.
Second stanza in line 1, “Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I have won”. The speaker repeat again his prayer to his God to forgive his second sin that he
has encouraged “others” in the same sin, that is the engagement with lust. He is also afraid that his sins become the door for the other people. In line 10, he has
been able to control that lust, “A year or two,” but he “wallowed” in it for about twenty years. After the Great Soul has unburdened him from that sin, the speaker
has still more to ask to his God. Third Stanza in the first line: “I have a sin of fear, that when Ive spun”.
The speaker then names his final sin, and that is the “a sin of fear.” He fears that
when he dies he shall simply disappear. He believes in his immortal, eternal soul, but he confesses to doubts, he knows he has not yet achieved union with the
divine. He then aver that he strongly believes in Christ, and with God the Father’s
help, he will become aware of Christ’s shining presence. In line 4 of last stanza, he knows that his Christ-consciousness shines now and heretofore. With that
strong faith and complete reliance of “God the Father,” the speaker then can finally say, “I fear no more.” He does not afraid anymore to face die.
3. Death, be not Proud
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