Poetry: “Easter Wings” by George Herbert [Updated]

For Easter Sunday, by the great seventeenth century poet, George Herbert.  

Easter Wings

by George Herbert

Lord, who createdst man in wealth and store,

   Though foolishly he lost the same,

      Decaying more and more,

        Till he became

           Most poore:

           With  thee

        Oh let me rise

   As larks, harmoniously,

  And sing this day  thy victories:

Then shall the fall further the flight in me.

My  tender  age  in  sorrow   did   beginne:

   And still with sicknesses and shame

      Thou  didst  so  punish  sinne,

         That  I  became

           Most thinne.

           With  thee

        Let me combine

      And feel this day thy victorie:

   For,  if  I  imp  my  wing  on  thine

Affliction shall  advance the  flight in  me.

Notice how the poem is shaped in the form of wings.  This is an example of Shape Poetry.  The poem’s typography form the shape of a dove with wings.  Notice also how the skinny sections are about poor and thin.  That’s no coincidence.  Here is an image of the poem in its actual printing.

You can read more about “Easter Wings” here.  

You can also hear the poem read with this video.

A Blessed Resurrection Sunday to you all!

UPDATE (27 Mar, 2016 9:40 PM): Great minds think alike.  Fr. Dwight Longenecker posted on this same poem for Easter Sunday reading over at Imaginative Conservative.  His essay goes into more depth and well worth the read, here.