The Quidditie
What Poetry Is Not
The poet lists all the worldly honors and pleasures that a verse cannot provide.
My God, a verse is not a crown, no mark of honor, or fine clothes, no hawk, or banquet, or renown, nor a good sword, nor even a lute:1 It can't vault, or dance, or play; It never was in France or Spain; Nor can it while away the day With a great stable or estate:2
What Poetry Is
The poet declares that his verse is simply the act of being with God, and that the Most takes all.
It's no office, art, or news, nor the Exchange, or a busy hall. But it's that which, while I use it, I am with you—and the Most takes all.3
Read the original English
MY God, a verse is not a crown, No point of honour, or gay suit, No hawk, or banquet, or renown, Nor a good sword, nor yet a lute:
It cannot vault, or dance, or play; It never was in France or Spain; Nor can it entertain the day With a great stable or demain:
It is no office, art, or news, Nor the Exchange, or busie Hall: But it is that which while I use I am with thee, and Most take all.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'gay suit' is period English for bright or showy clothing, not modern sexual sense; rendered as 'fine clothes'.
- 2 ↩Herbert's 'demain' is demesne/domain: a landed estate. Rendered here as 'estate' for modern clarity, keeping the pair with 'stable' as marks of worldly wealth and status.
- 3 ↩Herbert's 'Most take all' plays on a card-game proverb (winner-take-all / the one with most takes the stakes) while also inviting a theological reading: the Most High claims everything. The modern line keeps 'the Most' to preserve that double force.
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