Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DISORDER AND FRAILTY, by HENRY VAUGHAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: When first thou didst even from the grave Last Line: My heart, my verse. Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist | ||||||||
When first thou didst even from the grave And womb of darkness beckon out My brutish soul, and to thy slave Becam'st thyself, both guide and scout; Even from that hour Thou gotst my heart; and though here tossed By winds, and bit with frost I pine, and shrink Breaking the link 'Twixt thee and me; and oft-times creep Into th' old silence and dead sleep, Quitting thy way All the long day, Yet, sure, my God! I love thee most. Alas, thy love! 2 I threaten heaven, and from my cell Of clay and frailty break and bud Touched by thy fire and breath; thy blood Too, is my dew, and springing well. But while I grow And stretch to thee, aiming at all Thy stars and spangled hall, Each fly doth taste, Poison, and blast My yielding leaves; sometimes a show'r Beats them quite off, and in an hour Not one poor shoot But the bare root Hid under ground survives the fall. Alas, frail weed! 3 Thus like some sleeping exhalation (Which waked by heat and beams, makes up Unto that comforter, the sun, And soars and shines; but ere we sup And walk two steps, Cooled by the damps of night, descends, And, whence it sprung, there ends) Doth my weak fire Pine and retire, And (after all my height of flames) In sickly expirations tames Leaving me dead On my first bed Until thy Sun again ascends. Poor, falling star! 4 O, yes! but give wings to my fire, And hatch my soul, until it fly Up where thou art, amongst thy tire Of stars, above infirmity; Let not perverse And foolish thoughts add to my bill Of forward sins, and kill That seed, which thou In me didst sow, But dress and water with thy grace, Together with the seed, the place; And for his sake Who died to stake His life for mine, tune to thy will My heart, my verse. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest... |
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