Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EVENSONG (1), by GEORGE HERBERT


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EVENSONG (1), by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Blest be the god of love
Last Line: And in this love, more than in bed, I rest.
Variant Title(s): Evensong


BLEST be the God of love,
Who gave me eyes, and light, and power this day
Both to be busie and to play.
But much more blest be God above,

Who gave me sight alone,
Which to himself he did denie:
For when he sees my waies, I dy;
But I have got his Sonne, and he hath none.

What have I brought thee home
For this thy love? Have I discharged the debt,
Which this dayes favour did beget?
I ranne; but all I brought was fome.

Thy diet, care, and cost
Do end in bubbles, balls of winde;
Of winde to thee whom I have crost,
But walls of wilde-fire to my troubled minde.

Yet still thou goest on,
And now with darknesse closest wearie eyes,
Saying to man, It doth suffice:
Henceforth repose; your work is done.

Thus in thy ebony box
Thou dost inclose us, till the day
Put our amendment in our way,
And give new wheels to our disorder'd clocks.

I muse, which shows more love,
The day or night: that is the gale, this th' harbour;
That is the walk, and this the arbour;
Or that the garden, this the grove.

My God, thou art all love.
Not one poore minute 'scapes thy breast,
But brings a favour from above;
And in this love, more than in bed, I rest.





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