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Poem by George Herbert


The Elixir


Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything
To do it as for Thee.

Not rudely, as a beast,
To run into an action;
But still to make Thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.

A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye;
Or it he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heav'n espy.

All may of Thee partake:
Nothing can be so mean,
Which with his tincture--"for Thy sake"--
Will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.

This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold;
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.



George Herbert


George Herbert's other poems:
  1. The Thanksgiving
  2. Sin's Round
  3. A Dialogue-Anthem
  4. The Temper
  5. Affliction (III)


Poems of the other poets with the same name:

  • Emma Lazarus The Elixir ("Oh brew me a potion strong and good!")

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