Religion

A Feast for Wormes: Pious Meditation 8

by Francis Quarles 1592–1644

From Divine Poems (1633), A Feast for Wormes

Religion

I Finde a true resemblance in the growth
Of Sin, and Man; A like in breeding, both;
The Soul's the Mother, and the Devill, Syer;
Who lusting long in mutuall desier
Enjoy their Wils, and joyne in Copulation;
The Seed that fils her wombe, is foule Tentation;
The sinnes Conception, is the Soules cosent;
And then it quickens, when it breeds content;
The birth of Sin is finisht in the action,
And Custome brings it to its full perfection.
O let my fruitlesse Soule be barren rather,
Then bring forth such a Child for such a Father:
Or if my Soule breed Sinne (not being wary)
Let not her wombe bring forth, or else miscarry;
She is thy Spouse (O Lord) doe thou advise her,
Keepe thou her chast, Let not the Fiend entice her:
Try thou my heart, Thy Trials bring Salvation.
But let me not be led into temptation.

MLA

Quarles, Francis. “A Feast for Wormes: Pious Meditation 8.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/quarles/457/.

Chicago

Quarles, Francis. “A Feast for Wormes: Pious Meditation 8.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/quarles/457/.

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