For my third memorization, I chose Prayer (I) by Herbert, a poem I have been thinking about for many years. I am some hayfever (allergies to the Americans) so I sound a little rusty. In general, while I am delighted to be memorizing these great poems, I find the video inhibiting to recitation. I shall have to work on improving that. Here it is on YouTube. Full text below or at Poetry Foundation. I am working on ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ and as well as Gray’s ‘Elegy’ I want to memorize a Psalm or two.
Prayer the church’s banquet, angel’s age,
God’s 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’ Almighty, sinner’s tow’r,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-days world transposing in an hour,
A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,
The milky way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,
The land of spices; something understood.
well done Henry, I enjoyed that.
Really looking forward to The Whitsun Weddings. No pressure mate.
I dearly cherish these poems. (I) is eminently memorable, image-wealthy and clever.