The Holdfast

Nature and Sin (1) now posted.

Once again, in “Nature,” Herbert uses the metaphor of a stone. He loves stones. Just look at how many ways he uses them in his poems. Here, a stone means at least two things: the stony heart that Herbert wishes were smoothed and engraved with the law, and the stony grave which might “hide my dust.”

Full of rebellion, I would die,
Or fight, or travel, or deny
That thou hast aught to do with me.
O tame my heart;
It is thy highest art
To captivate strong holds to thee.

If thou shalt let this venom lurk,
And in suggestions fume and work,
My soul will turn to bubbles straight,
And thence by kind
Vanish into a wind,
Making thy workmanship deceit.

O smooth my rugged heart, and there
Engrave thy reverend law and fear;
Or make a new one, since the old
Is sapless grown,
And a much fitter stone
To hide my dust, than thee to hold.