Death Be Not Proud, a song

Another song from "Accidentals."  This one is based on a sonnet by one of my favorite poets, John Donne.  "Death be not proud, though some have called thee mighty" is how the poem goes.  There's also a reference to Dylan Thomas's poem "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" in there.  The melody was vaguely inspired by the song the blind railroad man is singing in the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou," and stylistically I was going for something in between a child's lullaby and B. B. King playing the blues. 

Well, if you can't imagine what a 16th Century Metaphysical Poet, a 20th Century Welshman, the Cohen Brothers and B. B. King might sound like if they collaborated on a song, give this one a listen:


 O, death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty, for I know thou are not so

Death, triumph not so loud, though thou might sting me
The seed when it’s sown must die for it to grow

And when I wander through your valley
I will not fear
For his rod and staff will comfort me
His presence is near

O Death, see the blood on my door post
My heart is purified, pass me by

So, death, thou shalt have, no dominion
When he comes for me, Death thou shalt die

For you were swallowed up in victory
When you pierced his heel
And he has conquered your indignity
No longer will you steal

O death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty, for I know thou are not so