Poetry of the Cross: Cowper's Grave

From Elizabeth Barrett Browning about another British poet, William Cowper, whose sad life I’ve written about here and here. The short story behind this poem is this: William Cowper was a believer who suffered from some kind of mental illness and lived much of his life in hopelessness. In his melancholy episodes, which were long lasting, he was convinced that he had been forsaken by God. This is Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s reflections on his life and afterlife.

 

It is about Cowper, yes, but more than that, it is a poem of the cross of Christ.

 

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Recipe Round Up: Side Dishes

The goods to go with the rest at The Accidental Pastor’s Wife.

Thanks, Julie, for hosting this month’s Recipe Round Up. 

Poetry of the Cross: The Agonie.

Philosophers have measur’d mountains, Fathom’d the depths of seas, of states, and kings, Walk’d with a staffe to heav’n, and traced fountains: But there are two vast, spacious things, The which to measure it doth more behove: Yet few there are that sound them; Sinne and Love. Who would know Sinne, let him repair Unto mount Olivet; there shall he see A man so wrung with pains, that all his hair, His skinne, his garments bloudie be. Sinne is that presse and vice, which forceth pain To hunt his cruell food through ev’ry vein. Who knows not Love, let him assay And taste that juice, which on the crosse a pike Did set again abroach; then let him say If ever he did taste the like. Love in that liquour sweet and most divine, Which my God feels as bloud; but I, as wine.

—George Herbert, 1633

More Poetry of the Cross

• Rosemary at Seasonings of the Heart: In the Cross of Christ I Glory
• Dorothy at Field Stone Cottage: By the Cross of Jesus Standing
• Candyinsierras has written her own cross poem: The Shift of Spring
• Updated to add two more: Dorothy (see above) had added one of her own poems, too—Salvation.
  
• And Kim of The Upward Call has posted Crucifying.
  

You are welcome to join me in my celebration of Poetry of the Cross if you wish. Just post a cross-centered poem any day of this week (or every day of this week) and send me the link to your poem. I’ll link back to your poem in the next Poetry of the Cross post.