Unprofitableness
Henry Vaughan 1621 (Brecknockshire) – 1695
How rich, O Lord! how fresh thy visits are!
'Twas but just now my bleak leaves hopeless hung
Sullied with dust and mud;
Each snarling blast shot through me, and did share
Their youth, and beauty, cold showers nipt, and wrung
Their spiciness and blood;
But since thou didst in one sweet glance survey
Their sad decays, I flourish, and once more
Breath all perfumes, and spice;
I smell a dew like myrrh, and all the day
Wear in my bosom a full sun; such store
Hath one beam from thy eyes.
But, ah, my God! what fruit hast thou of this?
What one poor leaf did ever I yet fall
To wait upon thy wreath?
Thus thou all day a thankless weed dost dress,
And when th'hast done, a stench or fog is all
The odor I bequeath.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 01, 2023
- 42 sec read
- 187 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABCDBCEFGEFHIJKLJK |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 719 |
Words | 141 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 18 |
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"Unprofitableness" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/18467/unprofitableness>.
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