Poetry Day - The Elixir

I was in Berkelouw’s Books the other weekend with a friend where it was confirmed, what I have long suspected, that she is indeed a kindred spirit. She had followed me to the second-hand poetry section for starters and there she opened a book of Thomas Hardy’s poetry and said 'this is my favourite Thomas Hardy poem', which was none other than The Darkling Thrush. I exclaimed 'oh me too, I can recite that poem' and then she said 'me too'. It was a moment of understanding. Then I espied a strange old book of poems by GK Chesterton, and she said something about the poem The Donkey, I open the book and there was the poem The Donkey. But then lo and behold Nicole posted The Donkey the following Monday, so I haven't given you that one.

But here is another George Herbert. This is his classic poem, which you may have seen quoted about, called The Elixir.

     The Elixir

     Teach me, my God and King,

     In all things thee to see,

And what I do in any thing,

     To do it as for thee:

     Not rudely, as a beast,

     To run into an action;

But still to make thee prepossessed,

     And give it his perfection.

     A man that looks on glass,

     On it may stay his eye;

Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,

     And then the heaven espy.

     All may of thee partake:

     Nothing can be so mean,

Which with his tincture (for thy sake)

     Will not grow bright and clean.

     A servant with this clause

     Makes drudgery divine:

Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,

     Makes that and the action fine.

     This is the famous stone

     That turneth all to gold:

For that which God doth touch and own

     Cannot for less be told.