George Herbert(1593–1633)

Affliction (I)

When first thou didst entice to thee my heart,

I thought the service brave:splendid

So many joys I writ down for my part,

Besides what I might have

Out of my stock of natural delights,

Augmented with thy gracious benefits.

I looked on thy furniture so fine,

And made it fine to me;

Thy glorious household stuff did me entwine,

And 'tice 0 me unto thee.entice

Such stars I counted mine: both heaven and earth

Paid me my wages in a world of mirth.

What pleasures could I want, whose king I served,lack

Where joys my fellows were

Thus argued into hopes, my thoughts reserved

No place for grief or fear;

Therefore my sudden soul caught at the place,

And made her youth and fierceness seek thy face:

At first thou gav'st me milk and sweetnesses;

I had my wish and way:

My days were strawed 0 with flowers and happiness;strewed

There was no month but May.

But with my years sorrow did twist and grow.

And made a party unawares for woe.

My flesh began unto my soul in pain,

"Sicknesses cleave my bones;

Consuming agues 0 dwell in every vein,fevers

And tune my breath to groans.

Sorrow was all my soul; I scarce believed,

Till grief did tell me roundly, that I lived.bluntly

When I got health, thou took'st away my life,

And more; for my friends die:

My mirth and edge was lost: a blunted knife

Was of more use than I.

Thus thin and lean without a fence or friend,

I was blown through with ev'ry storm and wind.

Whereas my birth and spirit rather took

The way that takes the town,5

Thou didst betray me to a lingering book,

And wrap me in a gown.theology's garb

I was entangled in the world of strife,

Before I had the power to change my life.

Yet, for I t h r e a t e n e d o f t t h e s i e g e to raise,

N o t s i m p e r i n g all m i n e age,

T h o u o f t e n didst w i t h a c a d e m i c praise

M e l t a n d d i s s o l v e m y rage.

I t o o k thy s w e e t e n e d pill, till I c a m e w h e r e

I c o u l d n o t go away, n o r persevere.

Yet lest p e r c h a n c e I s h o u l d t o o h a p p y be

In my u n h a p p i n e s s ,

Turning my purge 0 to food, thou throwest mepurgation

Into more sicknesses.

Thus doth thy power cross-bias 6 me, not making

Thine own gift good, yet me from my ways taking.

N o w I am h e r e , w h a t t h o u wilt do w i t h me

N o n e o f m y b o o k s will s h o w :

I read, a n d sigh, a n d w i s h I w e r e a tree,

For sure t h e n I s h o u l d g r o w

To fruit or s h a d e ; at least, s o m e bird w o u l d trust

Her household to me, and I should be just.

Yet, though thou troublest me, I must be meek;

In weakness must be stout: 7

W e l l , I will c h a n g e t h e service, a n d go s e e k

S o m e o t h e r m a s t e r out.

A h , my dear G o d ! t h o u g h I am c l e a n forgot,

Let me n o t love t h e e , if I love t h e e not.