Analysis of Affliction
George Herbert 1593 (Montgomery) – 1633 (Bemerton)
When thou didst entice to thee my heart,
I thought the service brave:
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 me unto thee.
Such stars I counted mine: both heav'n and earth
Paid me my wages in a world of mirth.
What pleasures could I want, whose King I served?
Where joys my fellows were?
Thus argu'd 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 straw'd with flow'rs and happiness;
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 dwell in ev'ry vein,
And tune my breath to groans.
Sorrow was all my soul; I scarce believed,
Till grief did tell me roundly, that I lived.
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;
Thou didst betray me to a lingering book,
And wrap me in a gown.
I was entangled in the world of strife,
Before I had the power to change my life.
Yet, for I threatened oft the siege to raise,
Not simpring all mine age,
Thou often didst with Academic praise
Melt and dissolve my rage.
I took thy sweetened pill, till I came where
I could not go away, nor persevere.
Yet lest perchance I should too happy be
In my unhappiness,
Turning my purge to food, thou throwest me
Into more sicknesses.
Thus doth thy power cross-bias me; not making
Thine own gift good, yet me from my ways taking.
Now I am here, what thou wilt do with me
None of my books will show:
I read, and sigh, and wish I were a tree;
For sure I then should grow
To fruit or shade: at least some bird would trust
Her household to me, and I should be just.
Yet though thou troublest me, I must be meek;
In weakness must be stout.
Well, I will change the service, and go seek
Some other master out.
Ah my dear God! though I am clean forgot,
Let me not love thee, if I love thee not.
Scheme | AXAXBX CDCDEE FXFGHH BIXIJJ KLKLXX MNMNXX OPOPMM QRQRXG DXDBSS DJDJTT UVUVWW |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111011111 110101 1101111111 011111 1111110001 0101110100 111110011 011111 1100111101 011101 1111011101 1111000111 1101111111 111100 1100111101 111111 111011101 010101111 11111101 111101 1101110100 111111 1111101101 010100111 1101101101 1111 01011011 011111 1011111101 1111110111 11111110111 011111 1101110101 111111 1101010111 111111101 0111010101 011101 11011101001 011001 1101000111 01110101111 1111010111 11111 110110101 100111 1111011111 1111011001 1101111101 010100 101111111 0111 111101101110 11111111110 1111111111 111111 1101011001 111111 1111111111 011101111 111111111 010111 1111010011 110101 1111111101 1111111111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 2,443 |
Words | 482 |
Sentences | 25 |
Stanzas | 11 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 |
Lines Amount | 66 |
Letters per line (avg) | 29 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 173 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 44 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 16, 2023
- 2:27 min read
- 186 Views
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"Affliction" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/15331/affliction>.
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