George Herbert (April 3, 1593 – March 1, 1633) was a Welsh poet, orator and a priest. Being born into an artistic and wealthy family, he received a good education which led on to him holding prominent positions at Cambridge University and Parliament. As a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, England, George Herbert excelled in languages and music. He went to college with the intention of becoming a priest, but his scholarship attracted the attention of King James I. Herbert served in parliament for two years. After the death of King James and at the urging of a friend, Herbert's interest in ordained ministry was renewed. In 1630, in his late thirties he gave up his secular ambitions and took holy orders in the Church of England, spending the rest of his life as a rector of the little parish of St. Andrew Bemerton, near Salisbury. He was noted for unfailing care for his parishioners, bringing the sacraments to them when they were ill, and providing food and clothing for those in need. Throughout his life he wrote religious poems characterized by a precision of language, a metrical versatility, and an ingenious use of imagery or conceits that was favored by the metaphysical school of poets He is best remembered as a writer of poems and hymns such as "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" and "The King of Love My Shepherd Is." He is commemorated on February 27 throughout the Anglican Communion and on March 1 of the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
hymn to god, my god, in my sickness
Since I am coming to that holy room,
Where, with thy choir of saints for evermore,
I...[read poem]
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Where, with thy choir of saints for evermore,
I...
the bait
Come live with me, and be my love,
And we will some new pleasures prove
Of golden sands, a...[read poem]
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And we will some new pleasures prove
Of golden sands, a...
i wrote a good omelet
I wrote a good omelet...and ate a hot poem...
after loving you
Buttoned my car...and...[read poem]
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after loving you
Buttoned my car...and...
the calm
Our storm is past, and that storm's tyrannous rage,
A stupid calm, but nothing it, doth 'suage....[read poem]
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A stupid calm, but nothing it, doth 'suage....
the pulley
When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blesings standing by;
Let us (said he) pour ...[read poem]
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Having a glass of blesings standing by;
Let us (said he) pour ...
a lecture upon the shadow
Stand still, and I will read to thee
A lecture, love, in love's philosophy.
These th...[read poem]
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A lecture, love, in love's philosophy.
These th...
the funeral
Whoever comes to shroud me, do not harm
Nor question much
That subtle wreath of hair...[read poem]
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Nor question much
That subtle wreath of hair...
holy sonnets: this is my play's last scene
This is my play's last scene; here heavens appoint
My pilgrimage's last mile; and my race,...[read poem]
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My pilgrimage's last mile; and my race,...
redemption
Having been tenant long to a rich Lord,
Not thriving, I resolved to be bold,
...[read poem]
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Not thriving, I resolved to be bold,
...
a hymn to god the father
Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?...[read poem]
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Which was my sin, though it were done before?...
holy sonnets: batter my heart, three-person'd god
Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend...[read poem]
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As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend...
an anatomy of the world
AN ANATOMY OF THE WORLD
Wherein,
by occasion of the untimely death of Mis...[read poem]
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Wherein,
by occasion of the untimely death of Mis...
good friday, 1613. riding westward
Let mans Soule be a Spheare, and then, in this,
The intelligence that moves, devotion is,
...[read poem]
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The intelligence that moves, devotion is,
...
elegy v: his picture
Here take my picture; though I bid farewell
Thine, in my heart, where my soul dwells, shall dwe...[read poem]
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Thine, in my heart, where my soul dwells, shall dwe...
holy sonnets: if poisonous minerals, and if that tree
If poisonous minerals, and if that tree
Whose fruit threw death on else immortal us,
If le...[read poem]
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Whose fruit threw death on else immortal us,
If le...
a burnt ship
Out of a fired ship, which by no way
But drowning could be rescued from the flame,
Some me...[read poem]
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But drowning could be rescued from the flame,
Some me...
song: go and catch a falling star
Go and catch a falling star,
Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past ...[read poem]
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Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past ...
of the progress of the soul: the second anniversary
OF THE PROGRESS OF THE SOUL
Wherein,
by occasion of the religious death o...[read poem]
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Wherein,
by occasion of the religious death o...
holy sonnets: i am a little world made cunningly
I am a little world made cunningly
Of elements and an angelic sprite,
But black sin hath b...[read poem]
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Of elements and an angelic sprite,
But black sin hath b...
air and angels
Twice or thrice had I lov'd thee,
Before I knew thy face or name;
So in a voice, so in a s...[read poem]
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Before I knew thy face or name;
So in a voice, so in a s...
the ecstasy
Where, like a pillow on a bed
A pregnant bank swell'd up to rest
The violet's reclin...[read poem]
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A pregnant bank swell'd up to rest
The violet's reclin...
satire iii
Kind pity chokes my spleen; brave scorn forbids
Those tears to issue which swell my eyelids;...[read poem]
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Those tears to issue which swell my eyelids;...
holy sonnets: show me dear christ, thy spouse so bright and clear
Show me dear Christ, thy spouse so bright and clear.
What! is it she which on the other shore...[read poem]
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What! is it she which on the other shore...
the relic
When my grave is broke up again
Some second guest to entertain,
(For graves have...[read poem]
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Some second guest to entertain,
(For graves have...
a valediction: forbidding mourning
As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls, to go,
Whilst some of ...[read poem]
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And whisper to their souls, to go,
Whilst some of ...
the canonization
For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love,
Or chide my palsy, or my gout,
...[read poem]
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Or chide my palsy, or my gout,
...
holy sonnets: death, be not proud
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;...[read poem]
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Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;...
the good-morrow
I wonder by my troth, what thou and I
Did, till we lov'd? Were we not wean'd till then,
Bu...[read poem]
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Did, till we lov'd? Were we not wean'd till then,
Bu...
the indifferent
I can love both fair and brown;
Her whom abundance melts, and her whom want betrays;
Her w...[read poem]
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Her whom abundance melts, and her whom want betrays;
Her w...
the triple fool
I am two fools, I know,
For loving, and for saying so
In whining poetry;
B...[read poem]
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For loving, and for saying so
In whining poetry;
B...
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