Come, Sorrow, come

Song Meaning

This poem invites Sorrow not as an enemy, but as a companion in shared misery. The narrator beckons Sorrow to "sit down and mourn with me," establishing a strange intimacy with the emotion. The goal isn't to hide the grief, but to display it publicly, so "God and man and all the world may see / Our heavy hearts do live in quiet rest." This suggests a desire for validation or perhaps a resignation so profound it appears as stillness. The central tension lies in the performance of grief. The narrator instructs Sorrow to weep, but not to "cry outright," framing outward displays of emotion as childish. Instead, tears should "fall trickling down thy face," a controlled, almost ritualistic expression. This careful management of sorrow suggests a deep-seated shame or a need to maintain a semblance of dignity even in the face of overwhelming despair. The repeated phrase "may see" emphasizes this performative aspect, highlighting the desire for an audience to witness their suffering. The most striking craft element is the personification of Sorrow itself, treated as a physical entity to be addressed and directed. The imagery of their shared "fare" – "dishes of despite" and "sorrow sops" – creates a visceral, almost cannibalistic feast of misery. This grotesque banquet underscores the narrator's complete immersion in their own pain, consuming it as sustenance. The poem concludes with a shared "doleful doom," a fate so bleak it makes even the heavens regret it, cementing the idea of an inescapable, shared destiny. What makes these lyrics so potent is their unflinching embrace of despair, transforming it into an active, almost welcoming presence. By personifying Sorrow and inviting it into a shared existence, the poem captures a profound sense of resignation. The meticulous instructions for weeping and the grim culinary metaphors reveal a mind that has not only accepted its fate but has meticulously curated its suffering, making the grief itself a form of existence.