![]() ![]() ![]() In these works the tone is ‘private, subjective and modest’. ![]() Many of his poems are also colloquies (conversations) between himself and God or with his heart, and we can see good examples in his poems ‘Good Friday’ and ‘The Pearl’. A few famous ones being ‘King of Glory, King of Peace’ and ‘Teach me, My God and King’. In fact, we can still find some of Herbert’s work in British hymnals today. An example of this could be ‘Easter Song’. ![]() Perhaps some poems were indeed meant for musical accompaniment. His writing is sometimes musical and often his structural forms are uncomplicated and not unlike a ‘song’. There is a clarity and directness in Herbert’s verses. But unlike Donne, ‘Herbert wrote no love poetry, having decided, when he began writing poetry at Cambridge, to devote his poetic works to God’ (Mackean, 2005). ‘These close links with the older poet had an influential and positive effect on Herbert’s life and work’ (Graham, 2000). When Herbert’s father died the young family moved to London, and Herbert’s mother became friend and patron to the Metaphysical poet John Donne. His poetry reflects a balanced Anglicanism (neither Puritan nor Catholic), and for me the simplicity of diction and metaphor are an important part of what make them so interesting and effective. He was also a poet and his colloquies and religious themes really appeal to me. George Herbert was rector of Bemerton between 1630-1633. ![]()
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