Portrait of George Herbert by Robert White, 1674
Love II
by George Herbert
from The Temple (1633)
Immortal Heat, O let thy greater flame
Attract the lesser to it: let those fires
Which shall consume the world, first make it tame;
And kindle in our hearts such true desires,
As may consume our lusts, and make thee way.
Then shall our hearts pant thee; then shall our brain
All her inventions on thine Altar lay,
And there in hymns send back thy fire again:
Our eyes shall see thee, which before saw dust;
Dust blown by wit, till that they both were blind:
Thou shalt recover all thy goods in kind,
Who wert disseized by usurping lust.
All knees shall bow to thee; all wits shall rise,
And praise Him who did make and mend our eyes.
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