A Hymn to God the Father, John Dome (1987)

 By: John Donne

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,

         Which was 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 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 wallow'd 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 spun

         My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son

         Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;

                And, having done that, thou hast done;

                        I fear no more.

from Poems of John Donne, vol. I., E. K. Chamnbers, ed. London, Lawrence & Bullen, 1896

        What is the poem about? What is the narrator expressing?

A Hymn to God the Father is a religious hymn filled with uncertainties and doubts of the speakers view on Divine Providence’s powers of mercy and forgiving. This speaker holds up his sins to God. His confessions, couched by puns, and accompanied with a brave tone, are all honest. He hopes that God could somehow forgive him for these things. The sinner admits that he “has more”. 
How do the puns on “done” (5, 11, 17) and “Sun” (15) give structure and meaning to the poem? Explain the relevance of the meaning generated by the puns.
Done is repeated about six times, and this refers to the poet’s own name. Just like “more” is repeated and is connected to his wife’s maiden name, Anne More. The meaning of these puns adds certain levity to this poem. “Son” on line 15 makes a direct reference to the Catholic Son of God, Jesus. The punning iterates the value of the spoken word, which is what connects to a hymn. These words have a cleansing value, that can even break a situation for the poet.

How does the structure and diction develop tone and mood in the poem?

This poem is filled with agony, fear, regret and faith. The words Dome chooses make the reader wonder if he will actually stop his wrongful ways. For example in lines 4 and 6, he says, “And do run still, though still I do deplore?” and “For I have more” give an uncertain tone. He’s asking for salvation but is there truly repentance for the sins he has committed? The mood also makes him feel as someone who is desolate and bleak, so low that he is capable of using Christian references. When he uses the word, “deplore”, he knows that he cannot be forgiven for his sins even if he deplores the state of mind that men have been force to be regulated to.