Poetry Day - Affliction
One of the reasons I like John Piper is because one day I post this, then the next day he posts this (I actually think it was the same day - he's just in a different time zone). Mutual poetry appreciation is force to be reckoned with! So, today I thought I'd post another George Herbert poem, or two, this time from his series on Affliction.
AFFLICTION (III)
MY heart did heave, and there came forth, O God!
By that I knew that Thou wast in the grief,
To guide and govern it to my relief,
Making a sceptre of the rod:
Hadst Thou not had Thy part,
Sure the unruly sigh had broke my heart.
But since Thy breath gave me both life and shape,
Thou know'st my tallies; and when there’s assigned
So much breath to a sigh, what’s then behind?
Or if some years with it escape,
The sigh then only is
A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss.
Thy life on earth was grief, and Thou art still
Constant unto it, making it to be
A point of honour, now to grieve in me,
And in Thy members suffer ill.
They who lament one cross,
Thou dying daily, praise Thee to Thy loss.
AFFLICTION (IV)
BROKEN in pieces all asunder,
Lord, hunt me not,
A thing forgot,
Once a poor creature, now a wonder,
A wonder tortured in the space
Betwixt this world and that of grace.
My thoughts are all a case of knives,
Wounding my heart
With scattered smart,
As wat'ring-pots give flowers their lives.
Nothing their fury can control,
While they do wound and prick my soul.
All my attendants are at strife
Quitting their place
Unto my face:
Nothing performs the task of life :
The elements are let loose to fight,
And while I live, try out their right.
Oh help, my God! let not their plot
Kill them and me,
And also Thee,
Who art my life: dissolve the knot,
As the sun scatters by his light
All the rebellions of the night.
Then shall those powers, which work for grief,
Enter Thy pay,
And day by day
Labour Thy praise and my relief;
With care and courage building me,
Till I reach heav'n, and much more, Thee.