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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


AARON by GEORGE HERBERT

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: HOLINESS ON THE HEAD
Last Line: COME, PEOPLE: AARON'S DREST.
Subject(s): AARON;

HOLINESSE on the head;
Light and perfections on the breast;
Harmonious bells below, raising the dead,
To leade them unto life and rest:
Thus are true Aarons drest.

Profanenesse in my head;
Defects and darknesse in my breast;
A noise of passions ringing me for dead
Unto a place where is no rest:
Poore priest, thus am I drest.

Onely another head
I have; another heart and breast;
Another musick, making live, not dead;
Without whom I could have no rest:
In him I am well drest.

Christ is my onely head;
My alone, onely heart and breast;
My onely musick, striking me ev'n dead;
That to the old man I may rest,
And be in him new drest.

So, holy in my head;
Perfect and light in my deare breast;
My doctrine tun'd by Christ, who is not dead,
But lives in me while I do rest:
Come, people: Aaron's drest.



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