Classic Poem

My reveille-Matin — to my wife an ode composd at Newcastle upon tine: May 26 1639

Lord

When the Casements of mine eyes
To wellcom in
The morn, first opned are
Graunt that my hart may early sacrefize
To expiat for sin
Prepare
And mustring up thy favours and its crimes
Cashire the one, let t'other stand enrowld
To evidence at full that time of times
Wherin Thou ransoms't me who once was sould

Let all the drowsy vapours prest
My fancy down
Dispell and guive it way
To rise betimes and to be better drest
Soe dignify and Crown
The day
With Anthems may set forth that Glorious flame
Thy love burst out in when my fault was soe
I h'd line for ere benighted in the same
Hadst Thou not vanquish't and o're come my foe

Cause (I bessech thee) that moyst dew
That falls upon
My waking temples tress
(By evry yawne thy goodnes taught to shew)
An Exhalation
Express
Obaying noe heat save what did proceed
From that most righteous Sonn whose beams alone
Were of full power for t'refine the deed
Our Parents dross't by their corruption.

And as my armes unfoulded stand
To fathom out
The Latitude as 'twer
'Twixt the beds either side meridian
Let my thoughts sore about
That Sphere
Unparalelld for Grace: and stretch to be
Embracers of those mercies did extend
Beyond all sounding plummet or degree
And thither all my Kidds and fattlinges send

Thus tain by'th'hand by His whose felt
What mine deservd
I'm up and strait perceive
The morninges berth bedewd with his whose smelt
All of perfumes and searvd
T' conceive
Such raptures in me that noe part nor sence
Could be at quiet, till it rose to make
This offring and from a full influence
Inspird of love dull thanklesnes t'forsake
Now if my eyes, my hart, my head, my armes
Embrace, contemplat, feeling, seing, charmes
Wher can this exorcisme trulier stay
Than on that Starr which chang'd our night to day.