21 pages • 42 minutes read
George HerbertEaster Wings
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1633A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
"The Altar" by George Herbert (1633)
Like “Easter Wings,” this is a pattern poem. The 16 lines are arranged on the printed page to resemble an altar or communion table, although at least one commentator says it more closely resembles a place where a pagan sacrifice might be made. In the poem, the poet offers his heart to the Lord.
"Denial" by George Herbert (1633)
In this lyric poem, the poet expresses his despair that God is not responding to his prayers, however many times he utters them. As in “Easter Wings,” he is conscious of his sinful state and longs for salvation. He appeals again to be heard. In the first five of the six five-line stanzas, the last two lines do not rhyme. The disorder in the poet’s mind and heart is thus reflected in the form of the poem. In the last stanza, he once again appeals to God to respond to him, and states that a restored harmony in their relations will be reflected in the proper rhyming of his verse, so that God’s favor and “[…] my mind may chime, /And mend my rhyme” (Lines 29-30).
"Vision and Prayer" by Dylan Thomas (1945)
Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) was a popular Welsh poet. This poem, like “Easter Wings,” is a pattern poem. It is divided into two parts. In Part i, the six stanzas are arranged on the page in the form of a diamond. In Part ii, the six stanzas are arranged in the shape of wings. They resemble exactly the appearance of the two verses of “Easter Wings,” although they are each seven lines longer than the verses in Herbert’s poem. Thomas would certainly have been familiar with “Easter Wings” and was likely influenced by the ingenuity of its shape, not only to repeat it in “Vision and Prayer” but also to create another shape too (the diamond). The poem itself begins with the birth of a child, after which Thomas launches into a personal spiritual vision or revelation full of vivid if somewhat obscure imagery.
"The Mouse’s Tale" by Lewis Carroll (1865)
“The Mouse’s Tale” is from Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in which the mouse is a character encountered by Alice. The title contains a pun: The tale is shaped in the form of a tail, which makes this a famous example of pattern poetry.
Further Literary Resources
A Year with George Herbert: A Guide to Fifty-Two of His Best-Loved Poems by Jim Scott Orrick (2011)
Orrick discusses this selection of Herbert’s poems in a way that is accessible to readers who might have little experience reading poetry. In notes that appear above each poem, he gives a concise explanation about what the poem is about and what its main theme is. He also includes helpful notes below each poem that clarify difficult passages.
Music at Midnight: The Life and Poetry of George Herbert by John Drury (2014)
Drury gives an account of Herbert’s life and integrates that with critical readings of the poems. This book has received positive reviews and is recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about one of England’s greatest poets.
Metaphysical Poetry edited by Christopher Ricks, with an Introduction by Colin Burrow (2006)
This anthology contains work by all the major English metaphysical poets. Burrow’s introduction provides useful information, context, and interpretation.
Listen to Poem
Academic, professor, author, and keynote speaker Luke Prodromou gives voice to George Herbert’s “Easter Wings.”
