Tell them, though ’tis an awful thing to die (‘Twas ev’n to thee) yet the dread path once trod, Heaven lifts its everlasting portals high And bids “the pure in heart behold their God.”
The title of this poem alludes that we are speaking of an elderly lady, because of the title “mrs”. It is interesting to me to read this, because the idea of death is always one that is sure to catch just about anyone’s attention. Tell them, makes the poem seem very urgent and important. Then the poem starts to become very grave by saying “though tis an awful thing to do” which forsets the mood and ties together the idea of an ode to mrs. mason. Twas even to thee, suggests that it is an awful thing for anyone to die no matter who you are. Death is scary, is what the poem is suggesting. Then, the poem turns to a different view, and says yet the dread path once trod.. THis simply suggests that life itself is very dreadful, and perhaps just as dreadful as death. To a non-christian, or to anyone who does not have the mind set of “HAPPY DEATH DAY”, this poem a very … “grave” statement. However, the mood switches quite a bit, with the next few lines. “Heaven lifts its everlasting portals high And bids “the pure in heart behold their God.” This line is saying that after the dreaded death, a Christian’s soul is then brought to heaven and life is great. This fits the sermon i just listened to very well.
