George Herbert(1593–1633)
Prayer (I)
Prayer, t h e c h u r c h ' s b a n q u e t , angels' age,8
G o d ' s b r e a t h i n m a n r e t u r n i n g t o h i s birth,
T h e s o u l i n paraphrase, heart i n pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet 9 sounding heav'n and earth;
Engine against th' Almighty, sinner's tower,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-days' world transposing 1 in an hour,
A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
Exalted manna, 2 gladness of the best,
H e a v e n i n ordinary,3 m a n w e l l d r e s s e d ,
T h e M i l k y W a y , t h e bird o f Paradise,4
Church bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood,
The land of spices; something understood.