The Day of Doom; Or, A Poetical Description of the Great and Last Judgment With Other Poems

"The Day of Doom; Or, A Poetical Description of the Great and Last Judgment" by Michael Wigglesworth is a 17th-century religious poem that dramatically depicts the Last Judgment, tackling big ideas like sin, being saved, and God's fairness. Rooted in Puritan beliefs, it stresses how our actions affect our afterlife. The poem starts with a peaceful night shattered by Christ's arrival as judge, and then shifts to detailing how everyone is scared as the divine arrives while they slumber. The poem builds tension by showing the separation between the good and bad, highlighting the difficult moral choices people made while alive. The poem leaves the reader with a strong reminder of what awaits us after death. Wigglesworth paints a scene with strong imagery and emotional scenes to push the reader to think about their choices before death.