George Herbert (1593-1633) has come to be one of the most admired of the metaphysical poets. Though he is a profoundly religious poet, even secular readers respond to his quiet intensity and exuberant inventiveness, which are amply showcased in this selection.<\/p>\n
Herbert experimented brilliantly with a remarkable variety of forms, from hymns and sonnets to pattern poems, the shapes of which reveal their subjects. Such technical agility never seems ostentatious, however, for precision of language and expression of genuine feeling were the primary concerns of this poet, who admonished his readers to \u201cdare to be true.\u201d An Anglican priest who took his calling with deep seriousness, he brought to his work a religious reverence richly allied with a playful wit and with literary and musical gifts of the highest order. His best-loved poems, from \u201cThe Collar\u201d and \u201cJordan\u201d to \u201cThe Altar\u201d and \u201cEaster Wings,\u201d achieve a perfection of form and feeling, a rare luminosity, and a timeless metaphysical grandeur.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":26472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_cat":[241,242],"product_tag":[],"composite_virtual":false,"composite_layout":"","composite_add_to_cart_form_location":"","composite_editable_in_cart":false,"composite_sold_individually_context":"","composite_shop_price_calc":"","composite_components":[],"composite_scenarios":[],"bundled_by":[],"bundle_stock_status":"instock","bundle_stock_quantity":null,"bundle_virtual":false,"bundle_layout":"","bundle_add_to_cart_form_location":"","bundle_editable_in_cart":false,"bundle_sold_individually_context":"","bundle_item_grouping":"","bundle_min_size":"","bundle_max_size":"","bundled_items":[],"bundle_sell_ids":[],"yoast_head":"\n