Poem: 'Love (III)' by George Herbert

[dwgm]

There's just something about the poems of George Herbert. C.S. Lewis said of him, "Here was a man who seemed to me to excel all the authors I had read in conveying the very quality of life as we live it from moment to moment, but the wretched fellow, instead of doing it all directly, insisted on mediating it through what I still would have called the "Christian mythology." The upshot of it all could nearly be expressed, "Christians are wrong, but all the rest are bores."

LOL! I like that.

Herbert has a way of expressing profound ideas very simply and accessibly, a brilliant talent. I ran across this webite in my search for one of his poems, and it's full of great essays and other information, as well as a complete set of the poems in The Temple, his major collection. I'll probably post a few more poems of my favorites of his this month. I posted The Collar back when this journal was only a few months old, and Easter Song as my first entry for this month. The one I'm posting today is...



~ Love (III) ~



Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.

"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.


~.~

Comments

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I do love the metaphysicals. No wonder poor Lewis finally had to come to the conclusion that since all his favourite authors were Christians, he'd have to take a more critical look before completely dismissing them as idiots! I love his book Surprised by Joy

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I need to read Surprised by Joy. I love Lewis, clear writing with a sense of humor, can't beat that.

Christianity: often it's very difficult to see the heart of the matter. But I think Herbert is one of those that sees clearly.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It's one of the few poems I have had memorized for many years.

[cbtreks.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting the George Herbert poems. I love his poetry but it seems too many people haven't heard of him. (And you're a Lewis fan too? Why didn't I know that? I like to celebrate "St. Clive's Day" on November 29 - with likeminded friends, when I can.)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting the George Herbert poems.

He's always been a favorite of mine -- I have at least two more I want to post this month (Poetry month is pretty cool, eh? Did you read fabu's poem she posted this morning -- great stuff!). I don't understand why Herbert doesn't seem to be that well known. His work is so easy to understand (a big draw for me, lol) and his poems read like songs! In fact, one I'm going to post is Virtue (spelled "Vertue", I think, on that site) which we sang in our high school madrigal group (back when dinosaurs roamed) -- beautiful song! One of my favorites.

And yes, I love Lewis. It was his Narnia books that got me reading in the 5th grade, and I never stopped. I need to read more of his books on Christianity -- I like the way he thinks.

Glad you're enjoying!!