"Power"
The poem "Power" by Stephen Dunn, as it appears in the 1998 edition of <em>Loosestrife</em> (originally published in 1996 by W.W. Norton & Company).
Stephen Dunn, W.W. Norton
<a title="Loosestrife" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=PU3yAQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA3&dq=power%20loosestrife%20stephen%20dunn&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q=power%20loosestrife%20stephen%20dunn&f=false" target="_blank"><em>LooseStrife</em></a>
George Herbert's "The Altar"
A close examination of how Herbert uses the form to mirror content or meaning in his poetry.
Similar to his poem, "Easter Wings," Herbert's "The Altar" uses form to mirror the content or meaning of the text. In "The Altar," the speaker describes an altar comprised of his "heart" (line 2) and "cemented with tears" (line 2). Essentially, the speaker's heart or faith is the altar upon which he expresses his devotion to God. In fact, the speaker is willing to sacrafice his own heart to "sanctify" (line 16) or prove to God his devotion and faith. Like "Easter Wings," "The Altar" is in the shape of an altar, again mirroring the content of the poem and emphasizing the meaning of the text.
George Herbert
George Herbert
Poetry
Screen Shot from George Puttenham's <em>Arte of English Poesie</em> (1589), picturing Geometrical Poetic Shapes.
1589
Screen shot from George Puttenham's <em>Arte of English Poesie</em> (1589), on Geometrical Shapes
Screen Shot from George Puttenham's <em>Arte of English Poesie</em> (1589), on Geometrical Poetic Shapes.
1589
Book 2, "Of Proportion Poetical," from George Puttenham's <em>Arte of English Poesie</em> (1589)
1589
Title Page from George Puttenham's Arte of English Poesy (1589)
1589
The Altar
From <a title="Poetical Miscelly" href="http://luna.folger.edu/luna/servlet/detail/FOLGERCM1~6~6~878011~158218:Poetical-miscellany--manuscript-,-c?qvq=q:the%2Baltar;lc:FOLGERCM1~6~6,BINDINGS~1~1&mi=9&trs=11" target="_blank">a Poetical Miscellany</a> (1650s), Folger Shakespeare Library, Folger Digital Collection
Folger Digital Collection
Miscellany: 1650s; Poem: 1633)
Folger Digital Collection
Sonnet 43, by Lady Mary Wroth, from <em>Pamphilia to Amphilanthus.<br />(Folger Shakespeare Library </em>
Screen shot from
Wroth, Mary, Lady, ca. 1586-ca. 1640.
Folger Digital Image Collection
<a title="Folger Shakespeare Library" href="Folger.edu" target="_blank">Folger Shakespeare Library</a>
Wroth, Mary, Lady, ca. 1586-ca. 1640.
John Donne's "The Flea," as reproduced in a 17th century commonplace book
http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/about/news/new-exhibition-celebrates-osborn-collection
From Yale's Beinecke Library (photograph by Vimala Pasupathi)
Photograph