In this blog post, poet Lisa Bernstein discusses George Herbert's poem 'The Flower,' exploring its themes of spirituality, sensuality, and the relationship between the speaker and God. Bernstein highlights the poem's rich sound, personal narrative, and the interplay between physicality and spirituality, ultimately revealing the depth and complexity of Herbert's work.
Welcome to the Talking Poem podcast, where host Charlie Green invites guests to discuss their chosen poems. In this episode, poet Lisa Bernstein shares her insights on George Herbert's poem "The Flower," a work that intricately weaves themes of spirituality, sensuality, and the human experience.
Lisa begins by reading Herbert's poem:
How fresh, O Lord, how sweet and clean Are thy returns; even as the flowers in spring, To which, besides their own, demise The late past frosts tributes of pleasure bring. Grief melts away like snow in May, As if there were no such cold thing. Who could have thought my shriveled heart Could have recovered greenness? It was gone quite underground, As flowers depart to see their mother root When they have blown; where they together All the hard weather dead to the world keep house unknown. These are thy wonders, Lord of power, Killing and quickening; bringing down to Hell And up to Heaven in an hour, Making a chiming of a passing bell. We say amiss, this or that is thy word, is all if we could spell. Oh, that I once past changing were Fast in thy Paradise, where no flower can wither. Many a spring I shoot up fair, Offering it Heaven, growing and groaning thither. Nor doth my flower want a spring shower; My sins and I join leaning together. But while I grow in a straight line, Still upwards bent, as if Heaven were mine own, Thy anger comes, and I decline. What frost to that? What pole is not the zone Where all things burn when thou dost turn? And the least frown of thine is shown. And now in age I bud again, And after so many deaths I live and write. I once more smell the dew and rain And relish versing, O my only light. It cannot be that I am he On whom thy tempests fell all night. These are thy wonders, Lord of love, To make us see we are but flowers that glide, Which when we once can find and prove, Thou hast a garden for us where to bide. Who would be more swelling through store Forfeit their Paradise by their pride.
Lisa provides a quick summary of the poem, describing it as a personal, sensuous, and dramatic narrative about the speaker's passionate and tumultuous relationship with God. The poem oscillates between grief and pleasure, capturing the essence of rebirth in spring. Bernstein emphasizes the poem's sensuous nature, which resonates deeply with her own experiences as a poet and performer.
Bernstein highlights the sensuality present throughout the poem, noting how Herbert's use of structure, meter, and sound creates an embodied experience. She explains that the poem's imagery of flowers and nature serves as a metaphor for spiritual growth and renewal. The cycles of life and death are intricately linked to the speaker's relationship with God, making the poem a rich exploration of both physical and spiritual existence.
The conversation delves into the tension between the physical and the spiritual in Herbert's work. Bernstein notes that while the poem addresses the speaker's desire for divine connection, it also acknowledges the struggles of human existence. The sensuality in the poem allows for multiple interpretations, including themes of eroticism and the complexities of faith.
The discussion shifts to the poem's sound and structure. Bernstein appreciates Herbert's use of plain spoken diction and simple, one-syllable words that create a musical quality. The metrical structure, while strictly followed, feels natural and conversational, enhancing the poem's emotional impact.
Bernstein also points out the subtle feminine presence in the poem, particularly in the references to nature and the mother root. She suggests that Herbert's work reflects a connection to older, pagan spiritualities, which adds depth to the poem's exploration of faith and the divine.
In conclusion, Lisa Bernstein's insights into George Herbert's "The Flower" reveal the poem's rich layers of meaning and its exploration of the human experience in relation to the divine. The interplay of sensuality, sound, and personal narrative creates a powerful reflection on faith, desire, and the cyclical nature of life. Bernstein's own poetic journey resonates with Herbert's themes, making this discussion a compelling exploration of poetry's ability to capture the complexities of existence.
Listeners are encouraged to explore Herbert's work and consider how it speaks to their own experiences of spirituality and creativity.
