Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE ELIXIR, by GEORGE HERBERT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE ELIXIR, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Teach me, my god and king
Last Line: Cannot for less be told.
Subject(s): Alchemy & Alchemists; God; Prayer


Teach me, my God and King,
In all things to see,
And what I do in anything,
To do it as for thee.

Not rudely, as a beast,
To tun into an action;
But still to make thee preposset,
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 this 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 th' action fine.

This is the famous stone
That turneth all to god;
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.




Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net