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| orange trees from the orange grove where my husband was raised, Yorba Linda CA. |
I bless thee, Lord, because I GROW
Among thy trees, which in a ROW
To thee both fruit and order OW.
When thou dost greater judgements SPARE
And with thy knife but prune and PARE,
Ev’n fruitful trees more fruitful ARE.
Such sharpness shows the sweetest FREND:
Such cuttings rather heal than REND:
And such beginnings touch their END.
“Paradise” stanzas 1, 4 and 5
George Herbert 1593-1633
Wow–that George Herbert was a clever fellow! I've never seen this poem before. His words inspire prayer: May the beginnings of pruning that result in matured lives, “touch our END” — the legacy we leave to those around us. Thank you, Jody, for sharing such a meaningful bit of ancient poetry!