Prayer

PRAYER (I) George Herbert

PRAYER the Churches banquet, Angels age,
Gods breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth ;

Engine against th’ Almightie, sinner's towre,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six daies world-transposing in an houre,
A kinde of tune, which all things heare and fear ;

Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,
Exalted Manna, gladnesse of the best,
Heaven in ordinarie, man well drest,
The milkie way, the bird of Paradise,

Church-bels beyond the stars heard, the souls bloud,
The land of spices, something understood.

Prayer (after Herbert)

Prayer, a plea for understanding; tormented heart,
An inner paradise where all needs are met;
A glimpse of what could be, an end, the start;
A blanket of light, covering all debt.

Leaves caught by the wind, spirit set free,
Tongues of fire, a crown of thorns,
New sight given so man can truly see;
The wild birds tune at the break of dawn;

Removing the blockade, warmth in the storm;
Strength for the weary, united war cry;
Earth raising upwards, the stars in the sky,
The wonder of life, an angel born,

Tip of the mountain, the rainbow’s soft glow,
The sea of life into which all rivers flow.