Lent Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCCB DEAFFA BBGHIG JKLMML NNOPQO RRSA S TBMUUM VVWUXW| Welcome dear feast of Lent who loves not thee | A |
| He loves not Temperance or Authority | A |
| But is compos'd of passion | B |
| The Scriptures bid us fast the Church says now | C |
| Give to thy Mother what thou wouldst allow | C |
| To ev'ry Corporation | B |
| - | |
| The humble soul compos'd of love and fear | D |
| Begins at home and lays the burden there | E |
| When doctrines disagree | A |
| He says in things which use hath justly got | F |
| I am a scandal to the Church and not | F |
| The Church is so to me | A |
| - | |
| True Christians should be glad of an occasion | B |
| To use their temperance seeking no evasion | B |
| When good is seasonable | G |
| Unless Authority which should increase | H |
| The obligation in us make it less | I |
| And Power itself disable | G |
| - | |
| Besides the cleanness of sweet abstinence | J |
| Quick thoughts and motions at a small expense | K |
| A face not fearing light | L |
| Whereas in fulness there are sluttish fumes | M |
| Sour exhalations and dishonest rheums | M |
| Revenging the delight | L |
| - | |
| Then those same pendant profits which the spring | N |
| And Easter intimate enlarge the thing | N |
| And goodness of the deed | O |
| Neither ought other men's abuse of Lent | P |
| Spoil the good use lest by that argument | Q |
| We forfeit all our Creed | O |
| - | |
| It's true we cannot reach Christ's forti'eth day | R |
| Yet to go part of that religious way | R |
| Is better than to rest | S |
| We cannot reach our Saviour's purity | A |
| Yet we are bid 'Be holy ev'n as he ' | - |
| In both let's do our best | S |
| - | |
| Who goeth in the way which Christ hath gone | T |
| Is much more sure to meet with him than one | B |
| That travelleth by ways | M |
| Perhaps my God though he be far before | U |
| May turn and take me by the hand and more | U |
| May strengthen my decays | M |
| - | |
| Yet Lord instruct us to improve our fast | V |
| By starving sin and taking such repast | V |
| As may our faults control | W |
| That ev'ry man may revel at his door | U |
| Not in his parlour banqueting the poor | X |
| And among those his soul | W |
George Herbert
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