Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
By Robert Herrick (15911674)Lent
IS this a fast, to keep | |
The larder lean? | |
And clean | |
From fat of veals and sheep? | |
Is it to quit the dish | 5 |
Of flesh, yet still | |
To fill | |
The platter high with fish? | |
Is it to fast an hour, | |
Or ragg’d to go? | 10 |
Or show | |
A downcast look and sour? | |
No; ’tis a fast to dole | |
Thy sheaf of wheat, | |
And meat, | 15 |
Unto the hungry soul. | |
It is to fast from strife, | |
From old debate | |
And hate; | |
To circumcise thy life. | 20 |
To show a heart grief-rent; | |
To starve thy sin, | |
Not bin; | |
And that’s to keep thy Lent. | |