George Herbert(1593–1633)
The Flower
H o w f r e s h , o h Lord, h o w s w e e t a n d c l e a n
Are thy returns! e v e n as t h e f l o w e r s in spring;
T o w h i c h , b e s i d e s their o w n d e m e a n , 1
T h e late-past frosts tributes o f p l e a s u r e bring.
Grief m e l t s a w a y
Like s n o w i n M a y ,
A s i f t h e r e w e r e n o s u c h c o l d thing.
W h o w o u l d h a v e t h o u g h t m y shriveled heart
Could have recovered greenness It was gone
Quite underground; as flowers depart
To see their mother-root, when they have blown, 0bloomed
Where they together
All t h e hard w e a t h e r ,
D e a d t o t h e world, k e e p h o u s e u n k n o w n .
T h e s e are thy w o n d e r s , Lord of p o w e r ,
Killing and quickening, 0 bringing down to hellreviving
And up to heaven in an hour;
M a k i n g a c h i m i n g of a p a s s i n g - b e l l . 2
W e say a m i s s
T h i s or that is:
T h y w o r d is all, if we c o u l d spell.
O h that I o n c e past c h a n g i n g w e r e ,
Fast i n thy Paradise, w h e r e n o f l o w e r c a n wither!
M a n y a spring I s h o o t up fair,
Offering 0 at heaven, growing and groaning thither;aiming
Nor doth my flower
W a n t 0 a spring s h o w e r ,lack; desire
My sins a n d I j o i n i n g t o g e t h e r . 3
B u t w h i l e I g r o w in a straight line,
Still upwards bent, as if heaven were mine own,
Thy anger comes, and I decline:
W h a t frost t o that w h a t p o l e i s n o t t h e z o n e
W h e r e all t h i n g s burn,
W h e n t h o u d o s t turn,
A n d t h e least f r o w n of t h i n e is s h o w n ? 4
A n d n o w in a g e I b u d again,
A f t e r so m a n y d e a t h s I live a n d write;
I o n c e m o r e s m e l l t h e d e w a n d rain,
A n d relish versing. O h , m y o n l y light,
It c a n n o t be
T h a t I am he
O n w h o m thy t e m p e s t s fell all night.
T h e s e are thy w o n d e r s , Lord of love,
T o m a k e u s s e e w e are b u t f l o w e r s that glide;pass away silently
Which when we once can find and prove, 0experience
T h o u h a s t a g a r d e n for us w h e r e to bide;
W h o w o u l d b e m o r e ,
S w e l l i n g t h r o u g h store,possessions
Forfeit their P a r a d i s e by their pride.