This is a poem that he wrote to his book of poetry in 1616.
2-8People thought of epigrams as short poems attacking someone. Jonson's book of epigrams will be broader than that, surprising the readers.9-10He won't try to get fame by attacking and shaming others.
His daughter died at 6 months, his son at 7 years. The average baby had a 50% chance of living to adulthood. Parents often lost all their children.12The daughter's spirit is in heaven, her body in the ground.
The son was Ben Jonson, Jr.
Jonson liked his son too much. Parents who became too attached to their children suffered too much when the inevitable losses came.
This is a humorous poem about a married couple who hate each other. Jonson argues that they do not have discord (disagreement), but that they agree on almost everything.3-4 He wishes they'd never married, & so does she.5-9
They try not to spend time together. They're happy when he leaves in the morning, sad when he returns home @ night.13-14 They agree that their children are not his. She's been sleeping around.