The gifted nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer knew that his brilliance was not leading him to inner peace. Perhaps he appreciated George Herbert’s poem “The Pulley” for voicing his condition and was soothed by the poet’s vision of final rest.
Tag Archives: George Herbert
Becoming a Window through Thy Grace
Saint Chapelle in Paris Spiritual Sunday George Herbert is the author of this lovely 17th-century poem about stained glass windows. As so often with this humble Anglican rector, he is filled with self doubts, seeing himself as “brittle crazy glass,” and wonders how anyone can be worthy enough to preach God’s eternal word. But he […]
Butterfly Wings, Easter Transformation
Spiritual Sunday In the Episcopal church we are still in the season of Easter, which is coinciding this year with a particularly beautiful spring. I’ve therefore chosen another Easter poem for “Spiritual Sunday.” This is an emblem poem by my favorite religious poet, George Herbert. It is entitled “Easter Wings”: Lord, Who createdst man in […]
A Poem for Those that Feel Unloveable
I can think of no better poet to move us into Holy Week than George Herbert, a 17th century Anglican rector who wrestled mightily with a sense of his unworthiness. In his poetry, Herbert is determined to be as honest about his doubts as possible. He is not a facile Christian. When he believes that […]
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Yes, Stanley, Lit Can Change Lives
George Herbert I’m trying to figure out why Stanley Fish bothers me so. Maybe it’s because I’m already worried that our society doesn’t take poetry seriously enough. Then an English professor with a national forum comes along and confirms that people should consider the study of literature as an arcane study yielding satisfactions only to […]
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