Will Atkins-Rebellion

The Collar

The Collar

By George Herbert 1593–1633 George Herbert

I struck the board, and cried, "No more;

                         I will abroad!

What? shall I ever sigh and pine?

My lines and life are free, free as the road,

Loose as the wind, as large as store.

          Shall I be still in suit?

Have I no harvest but a thorn

To let me blood, and not restore

What I have lost with cordial fruit?

          Sure there was wine

Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn

    Before my tears did drown it.

      Is the year only lost to me?

          Have I no bays to crown it,

No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted?

                  All wasted?

Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,

            And thou hast hands.

Recover all thy sigh-blown age

On double pleasures: leave thy cold dispute

Of what is fit and not. Forsake thy cage,

             Thy rope of sands,

Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee

Good cable, to enforce and draw,

          And be thy law,

While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.

          Away! take heed;

          I will abroad.

Call in thy death's-head there; tie up thy fears;

          He that forbears

         To suit and serve his need

          Deserves his load."

But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild

          At every word,

Methought I heard one calling, Child!

          And I replied My Lord.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173625

One of the scariest things about worshipping God is not really knowing whether or not he exists. However, many people, especially in Herbert's lifetime (1593-1633), would blindly love and worship him anyway. George Herbert rebels against this thought. Herbert challenges his own belief saying that all he does is praise and worship God yet he knows not whether he actually exists and he tells how God has done nothing for him. Herbert then describes how God has wronged him with his last harvest, either symbolic or actual, saying, "Have I no harvest but a thorn." He then criticizes God for doing nothing about his problems when he can, "but there is fruit, and thou hast hands." Herbert continues his criticism throughout the entire piece until the very end. There he is interrupted during another complaint until he stops himself and says, "Methought I heard one calling, Child! And I replied, My Lord." Stating that though he complains so much and discusses the possibility of ceasing to praise and worship, he still goes right back to where he was before.