Anne Bradstreet's semi-colon

we read several of anne bradstreet's poems for class on monday.  i've read her poems many, many times before.  but this time, they were changed for me.  this time, i had eyes to see her deal with the struggles of earthly life honestly, while also consistently affirming the truth of God.  it was this poem that really got me.  the semicolon in line 4 is the key to all of bradstreet's work, i think...  more on that after the poem:

On My Dear Grandchild Simon Bradstreet, Who Died on 16 November, 1669, Being But a Month, and One Day Old

No sooner came, but gone, and fall'n asleep.
Acquaintance short, yet parting caused us weep;
Three flowers, two scarcely blown, the last i' th' bud,
Cropped by th' Almighty's hand; yet is He good.
With dreadful awe before Him let's be mute,
Such was His will, but why let's not dispute,
With humble hearts and mouths put in the dust,
Let's say He's merciful as well as just.
He will return and make up all our losses,
And smile again after our bitter crosses.
Go pretty babe, go rest with sisters twain;
Among the blest in endless joys remain.

the subject of the poem on its own is incredibly moving.  mourning the loss of her third grandchild, bradstreet confronts God's nature.  and the key, i think, is in that fourth line and its semi-colon.

the first half of the sentence acknowledges that the death of these beloved children is part of God's will--they have been "cropped" by His hand.  then, a small pause.  the semi-colon.  not a complete break, but a pause.  and, finally, an affirmation of God's goodness: "yet is He good."  period.  the line is perfectly balanced--the thing we don't understand set in perfect tension and balance with the truth we rely on.  it's amazing what a semi-colon can do. 

reading on through bradstreet's work, she comes back to this again and again.  difficult things happen. yet is He good.