THE PULLEY

                                [Poem]
                               THE PULLEY

                              TEXT OF THE POEM
When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by,
"Let us", said he, "pour on him all we can.
Let the world's riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.

So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flowed, then, wisdom, honour, pleasure.
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that, alone of all his pleasure,
Rest in bottom lay.

"For if I should", said he,
"Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts instead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;
So both should losers be.

"Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness;
Let him be rich and weary, that at least,
If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
May toss him to my breast.
                                        -George Herbert