The Elixir

[poliphilo]

There's this to be said for having grown up singing hymns- that some of the tunes are good tunes and some of the lyrics are poetry. For instance, I'm not sorry that I know Bunyan's pilgrim song by heart because it always cheers me up.

Again when I'm doing housework- and feeling hard done by- George Herbert usually comes along with his "Elixir". I was only going to quote a couple of lines- but we might as well have the whole thing because it's short and well-nigh perfect.

The Elixir
By George Herbert

Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything
To do it as for Thee.

Not rudely, as a beast,
To run into an action;
But still to make Thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.

A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye;
Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heav'n espy.

All may of Thee partake:
Nothing can be so mean,
Which with his tincture—"for Thy sake"—
Will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.

This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold;
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.

Comments

[shewhomust]

I haven't heard that since my schooldays - but it is so familiar!

[poliphilo]

It's an odd one to serve up to children- what with the 17th century language and the wittiness of the thought- but that's the power of poetry: it sinks in even if you don't understand it.

[cmcmck]

Remember this one- it's in Hymns A & M which the more old fashioned prayer book sort of Anglican still likes.

[poliphilo]

One can do worse: Cranmer's Prayerbook, the King James Bible, hymns by Herbert: it's good solid fare- and much of it remarkably beautiful.

[sovay]

Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.

I see how that happens with housework, but that's also very good.

I keep having "Recessional" in my head.

[poliphilo]

Lest we forget, lest we forget...

The lines about sweeping are the ones I'd have quoted if I hadn't finally decided to post the whole thing.

[chochiyo_sama]

I love "Be Thou My Vision"

[poliphilo]

Yes, me too.