Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MATINS, by GEORGE HERBERT


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MATINS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I cannot ope mine eyes
Last Line: Then by a sunne-beam I will climb to thee.
Variant Title(s): Mattens


I CANNOT ope mine eyes,
But thou art ready there to catch
My morning-soul and sacrifice:
Then we must needs for that day make a match.

My God, what is a heart?
Silver, or gold, or precious stone,
Or starre, or rainbow, or a part
Of all these things, or all of them in one?

My God, what is a heart,
That thou shouldst it so eye, and woo;
Powring upon it all thy art,
As if that thou hadst nothing els to do?

Indeed mans whole estate
Amounts (and richly) to serve thee:
He did not heav'n and earth create,
Yet studies them, not Him by whom they be.

Teach me thy love to know;
That this new light, which now I see,
May both the work and workman show:
Then by a sunne-beam I will climb to thee.





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