What does Donne mean when he writes that grief fettered in verse?

John Donne, in his poem "A Nocturnal upon St. Lucy's Day," writes:

```

Griefe brought to numbers cannot be so fierce,

For he tames it, that fetters it in verse.

```

Donne suggests that expressing grief through the structured form of verse, such as poetry, can tame and refine intense emotions. By putting grief into poetic meter and rhythm, it becomes organized and controlled, allowing the expression of raw emotions in a regulated manner. The structure and artistry of verse help transform overwhelming emotion into an aesthetically pleasing and reflective form. In essence, verse, like poetic fetters, can contain, channel, and shape grief, making it more bearable and potentially therapeutic to the grieving individual.

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