George Herbert Poems not included in The Temple* [Sonnet (I)]              My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee,     Wherewith whole showls of Martyrs once did burn,     Besides their other flames? Doth Poetry Wear Venus livery? only serve her turn? Why are not Sonnets made of thee? and layes     Upon thine Altar burnt? Cannot thy love     Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove Out-strip their Cupid easily in flight?     Or, since thy wayes are deep, and still the fame,     Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might     Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose     Than that, which one day, Worms, may chance refuse? * From Walton's Life. This, and Sonnet II, were sent by Herbert to his mother in 1610 'as a New-years gift' ; They declare, he told her, 'my resolution to be, that my poor Abilities in Poetry shall be all, and ever consecrated to Gods glory'.   Source: Herbert, George. The English Poems of George Herbert. C. A. Patrides, Ed. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1974. Repr. 1991. 205. to Works of George Herbert Site ©1996-2001 Anniina Jokinen. All Rights Reserved. Created by Anniina Jokinen on June 30, 2001.