Easter-wings
Rising with Christ from the Fall
The poet reflects on humanity's fall from wealth to poverty and prays to rise with Christ like a lark, turning the fall into flight.
Lord, you created man in wealth and plenty, though he foolishly lost it all, decaying more and more until he became utterly poor. With you, let me rise like larks in harmony and sing this day of your victories; then the fall will further the flight in me.12
Affliction as Flight
The poet confesses his own affliction and sin, and asks to combine with Christ so that suffering advances his spiritual flight.
My tender years began in sorrow, and still with sicknesses and shame you so punished sin that I became most thin. With you let me combine, and feel this day your victory: for if I graft my wing onto yours, affliction will advance the flight in me.3
Read the original English
Lord, who createdst man in wealth and store, Though foolishly he lost the same, Decaying more and more, Till he became Most poore: With thee O let me rise As larks, harmoniously, And sing this day thy victories: Then shall the fall further the flight in me.
My tender age in sorrow did beginne: And still with sicknesses and shame Thou didst so punish sinne, That I became Most thinne. With thee Let me combine, And feel this day thy victorie: For, if I imp my wing on thine, Affliction shall advance the flight in me.
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern 'store' means abundance/plenty, not a shop; rendered as 'plenty' to keep the sense of original fullness before the Fall.
- 2 ↩Herbert's paradox: the Fall (and the speaker's own falling) will further—advance—the Easter flight of rising with Christ. 'Further' is kept as a living verb ('to advance'), not modernized away.
- 3 ↩Herbert's 'imp' is falconry: repairing a bird's wing by grafting feathers onto it. Rendered 'graft my wing onto yours' to keep that technical sense readable without archaism.
The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere