495. Mattins by George Herbert
G Herbert read by Classic Poetry Aloud:\nhttp://www.classicpoetryaloud.com/\n\nGiving voice to the poetry of the past.\n\n---------------------------------------\n\nMattins\nby George Herbert (1593 \u2013 1633)\n\nI cannot ope mine eyes,\nBut thou art ready there to catch\nMy morning-soul and sacrifice:\nThen we must needs for that day make a match.\n\nMy God, what is a heart?\nSilver, or gold, or precious stone,\nOr star, or rainbow, or a part\nOf all these things or all of them in one?\n\nMy God, what is a heart?\nThat thou should'st it so eye, and woo,\nPouring upon it all thy art,\nAs if that thou hadst nothing else to do?\n\nIndeed man's whole estate\nAmounts (and richly) to serve thee:\nHe did not heav'n and earth create,\nYet studies them, not him by whom they be.\n\nTeach me thy love to know;\nThat this new light, which now I see,\nMay both the work and workman show:\nThen by a sun-beam I will climb to thee.\n\nFirst aired: 1 August 2009\n\nFor hundreds more poetry readings, visit the Classic Poetry Aloud index.\n\nReading \xa9 Classic Poetry Aloud 2009