Saturday 8 March 2014

LOVE II

'Immortal Heat, O let Thy greater flame
      Attract the lesser to it; let those fires
      Which shall consume the world first make it tame,
And kindle in our hearts such true desires.
As may consume our lusts, and make Thee way:
      Then shall our hearts pant Thee, then shall our brain
      All her invention on Thine altar lay,
And there in hymns send back Thy fire again.
Our eyes shall see Thee, which before saw dust,
      Dust blown by wit, till that they both were blind:
      Thou shalt recover all Thy goods in kind,
Who wert disseized by usurping lust:
All knees shall bow to Thee; all wits shall rise,
And praise Him Who did make and mend our eyes.'
George Herbert, 'Love II' in A Year with George Herbert, p.50.