Huswifery

by Edward Taylor

Make me, O Lord, thy Spinning Wheele compleat;
Thy Holy Worde my Distaff make for mee.
Make mine Affections thy Swift Flyers neate,
And make my Soule thy holy Spoole to bee.
My Conversation make to be thy Reele,
And reele the yarn thereon spun of thy Wheele.

Make me thy Loome then, knit therein this Twine:
And make thy Holy Spirit, Lord, winde quills:
Then weave the Web thyselfe. The yarn is fine.
Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills.
Then dy the same in Heavenly Colours Choice,
All pinkt with Varnish't Flowers of Paradise.

Then cloath therewith mine Understanding, Will,
Affections, Judgment, Conscience, Memory;
My Words and Actions, that their shine may fill
My wayes with glory and thee glorify.
Then mine apparell shall display before yee
That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory.


Reflection:

Edward Taylor compares the character to an article of clothing that is being spun through a spinning wheel. This is more of a prayer than a poem that the character asks for God’s good Grace to be spun into him as he prays. He keeps bringing up God to forgive him for something that has or might happen. When he is made complete by God he has his grace woven into him so that he is happy with glory and he is fine. It makes me believe that he was wrong previous to when he found God and his requested hi grace be placed upon him. He is a man who believes that God will show him how to be a better person and wants us all to be the same way.


Dear Diary:

My mother read a story to a few kids and me as we sailed to the new world, telling us that the prayer this person had was nice. She wished this upon all the people that were traveling to the new world for peace and dreams. The prayer really gave us hope that God would watch over us on this trip and we knew that if we were to say it along with our prayers it was surely to come true. We traveled across the sea and the hand of God watched out for a kid named Fred who was struck with a sickness and came over that illness after a few days. This poem has showed me that God works in mysterious ways and I will always say that prayer before I sleep.