Edward Taylor

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.

• Speaker
• A man who is describing his longing to be closer with God.
  

• Mood
  
• This poem made me feel at peace because I can relate to what the author is going through, and I know it makes your soul at rest when you ask for forgiveness from God.
  

• Tone
  
• forgiveness
  

• Imagery
  
• he talks about the yarn being fine and colorful
• flowers of paradise
• how he spins his yarn,which gives you insight of how it may look

• Figurative Language
• pentameter with 10 syllables per line
• Metaphor: God's grace to a cloth
• Metaphor: Poet to a spinning wheel
• Metaphor: Bible to a distaff
  

• Sound
• his word choice makes it seem as if the yarn is actually spinning

Reflection: I can relate to “Huswifrey" because I understand his longing to be closer to God. Many times I wish I was closer with God, in order to sway away from trouble. I believe if you have a close connection with God then you will follow his ways. I can tell from the emotions that Edward Taylor is possessing that he truly desires to be closer to God. This poem helped me realize my thankfulness for everything God has done for me. It reinforced the way I feel and how the people of Early America must of felt.

Dear Lord,
I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to come to America. My frightening journey has helped me developed the urge to search for God’s grace. It has caused me to become more conscience about my relationship with you. I want you to become my main priority; I want you to guide my life. I desire to help others come to know you the way I am. I covet for you to change my actions to represent you and your word, lord. I wish that I could appear to other people as your servant, making an example to them, so that they would want to be more like you. Your grace has transformed me to become a new person and to be one of your followers.

Thesis: In the poem "Huswifery" Edward Taylor expresses his desire for God's grace through his use of metaphors, in order to be forgiven from his sins. He states that when you come closer to God you will have a life changing experience that will ultimately result in reflecting God's grace.

http://www.puritansermons.com/poetry/taylor.htm