Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PRIESTHOOD, by GEORGE HERBERT Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Blest order, which in power doth so excell Last Line: What pride by opposition. Subject(s): Clergy; Priests; Rabbis; Ministers; Bishops | ||||||||
BLEST Order, which in power doth so excell, That with th' one hand thou liftest to the sky, And with the other throwest down to hell In thy just censures; fain would I draw nigh; Fain put thee on, exchanging my lay-sword For that of th' holy word. But thou art fire, sacred and hallow'd fire; And I but earth and clay: should I presume To wear thy habit, the severe attire My slender compositions might consume. I am both foul and brittle, much unfit To deal in Holy Writ. Yet have I often seen, by cunning hand And force of fire, what curious things are made Of wretched earth. Where once I scorn'd to stand, That earth is fitted by the fire and trade Of skilfull artists, for the boards of those Who make the bravest shows. But since those great ones, be they ne're so great, Come from the earth, from whence those vessels come; So that at once both feeder, dish, and meat Have one beginning and one finall summe; I do not greatly wonder at the sight, If earth in earth delight. But th' holy men of God such vessels are, As serve Him up who all the world commands. When God vouchsafeth to become our fare, Their hands convey Him who conveys their hands. O what pure things, most pure, must those things be Who bring my God to me! Wherefore I dare not, I, put forth my hand To hold the ark, although it seem to shake Through th' old sinnes and new doctrines of our land. Onely, since God doth often vessels make Of lowly matter for high uses meet, I throw me at his feet. There will I lie, untill my Maker seek For some mean stuffe whereon to show his skill: Then is my time. The distance of the meek Doth flatter power. Lest good come short of ill In praising might, the poore do by submission What pride by opposition. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SONG OF THE DEMENTED PRIEST by JOHN BERRYMAN HORATIO ALGER (1834-1899) by MADELINE DEFREES ELEGIES FOR THE OCHER DEER ON THE WALLS AT LASCAUX by NORMAN DUBIE IN THE TIME OF FALSE MESSIAHS; CIRCA 1648 by NORMAN DUBIE THE GUARDIAN OF THE RED DISK (SPOKEN BY A CITIZEN OF MALTA - 1300) by EMMA LAZARUS DOMESDAY BOOK: FATHER WHIMSETT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS DOMESDAY BOOK: REV. PERCY FERGUSON by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THIS SIDE OF CALVIN by PHYLLIS MCGINLEY WHAT WAS LEFT OVER; FOR SUJATA BHATT by ELEANOR WILNER A DIALOGUE ANTHEM by GEORGE HERBERT |
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