The Altar (from the Temple) by George Herbert at Old Poetry

Poetry • Poets • Essays • Forums •

A broken A L T A R, Lord, thy servant reares,
Made of a heart, and cemented with teares:
Whose parts are as thy hand did frame;
No workmans tool hath touch’d the same.
A H E A R T alone
Is such a stone,
As nothing but
Thy pow’r doth cut.
Wherefore each part
Of my hard heart
Meets in this frame,
To praise thy Name;
That, if I chance to hold my peace,
These stones to praise thee may not cease.
O let thy blessed S A C R I F I C E be mine,
And sanctifie this A L T A R to be thine.

Notes

http://www.ccel.org/h/herbert/temple/Altar.html

- the original form of this poem

Form:
couplets
4.
See Exodus 20:22.

14.
See Luke 10:40.

Leave a guest comment (subject to review)

Comments

1 - 5 of 5

right now

Adding your comment:
phatalvision
April 21, 2006
Edit | Reply

?
I made this poem look just like the picture in the link provided, but when it posts, it moves. Very frustrating.
- MargaretG
  April 23, 2006
  Edit | Reply
  
  you tried
  You have got the left side to line up very well. The original text has used extra spaces. I've noticed that AP does not support that.
  Thanks for your effort!
- - phatalvision
    April 23, 2006
    Edit | Reply
    
    This is as close as I can get it. The editing is very screwy to try something like this. It took many tries with much rechecking and tinkering.
  - - MargaretG
      April 24, 2006
      Edit | Reply
      
      fabulous
      This is excellent! Thank you for your dedication.
MargaretG
April 20, 2006
Edit | Reply

typesetting is important
This is an early shape-poem, and the centred typesetting is critical. Here is a photo of the original. http://www.ccel.org/h/herbert/temple/Altar.html