The poem only is Public Domain: Copyright expired.
Music, Video and Vocals/Instrumentals COPYRIGHT (c) 2019
by CHARLES ELMER SZABO, BMI with exclusive permission for this "SZABO MUSIC" YouTube channel to use

"Holy Sonnet X"
Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and souls deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better than thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.


Sonnet X, also known by its opening words as "Death Be Not Proud", is a fourteen-line poem, or sonnet, by English poet John Donne (1572–1631), one of the leading figures in the metaphysical poets of seventeenth-century English literature. Written between February and August 1609, it was not published during Donne's lifetime; it was first published posthumously in 1633.

It is included as one of the nineteen sonnets that comprise Donne's Holy Sonnets or Divine Meditations, among his most well-known works. Most editions number the poem as the tenth in the sonnet sequence, which follows the order of poems in the Westmoreland Manuscript (circa 1620), the most complete arrangement of the cycle, discovered in the late nineteenth century. However, two editions published shortly after Donne's death include the sonnets in a different order, where this poem appears as eleventh in the Songs and Sonnets (published 1633) and sixth in Divine Meditations (published 1635).

"Death Be Not Proud" presents an argument against the power of death. Addressing Death as a person, the speaker warns Death against pride in his power. Such power is merely an illusion, and the end Death thinks it brings to men and women is in fact a rest from world-weariness for its alleged “victims.” The poet criticizes Death as a slave to other forces: fate, chance, kings, and desperate men. Death is not in control, for a variety of other powers exercise their volition in taking lives. Even in the rest it brings, Death is inferior to drugs. Finally, the speaker predicts the end of Death itself, stating “Death, thou shalt die.”

Music & Vocals/Instrumentals COPYRIGHT (c) 2018
by CHARLES ELMER SZABO, BMI


Charles Szabo is an American singer songwriter and educator who covers old songs to give them new life and performs his originals.

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Charles (Chuck/Chaz) Szabo from Ohio, is an American singer-songwriter and cover artist of public domain songs. He specializes in lyric videos with words for people to sing along with. His recordings are mostly simple, straightforward vocal & piano or guitar arrangements. Szabo’s original songs range from love songs to songs for celebrating each holiday. His music is available on YouTube at the Charles Szabo or Szabo Music channels. On Spotify and all other streaming services (Apple, ITunes, Amazon, Deezer, etc.) he can be searched and found as Charles Szabo Music.

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