For with love stony hearts will bleed

Very prompt swim this morning - and remembered the goggles!

Here's a verse from the second (2003) volume of "Poem for the Day", which I have blipped from before ...

... it's by the Anglican Priest, George Herbert, and - despite personally being an Atheist - has long been a favourite of mine:


Discipline

Throw away thy rod,
Throw away thy wrath:
O my God,
Take the gentle path.

For my heart’s desire
Unto thine is bent:
I aspire
To a full consent.

Not a word or look
I affect to own,
But by book,
And thy book alone.

Though I fail, I weep:
Though I halt in pace,
Yet I creep
To the throne of grace.

Then let wrath remove;
Love will do the deed:
For with love
Stony hearts will bleed.

Love is swift of foot;
Love’s a man of war,
And can shoot,
And can hit from far.

Who can ’scape his bow?
That which wrought on thee,
Brought thee low,
Needs must work on me.

Throw away thy rod;
Though man frailties hath,
Thou art God:
Throw away thy wrath.

---

George Herbert (1593-1633)