Huswifery

"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."

Reflection:

I choose this because he is expressing his love for the lord, which in this piece he is also crying out for help by asking for him to make his wheel complete. The main point of this section is to show the importance the Lord's role made an impact on his life. This represents Native America because many of the settlers looked to the lord to give them guidance and faith to stay strong when their loves were being threatened. I feel that the settlers may have ignored the problems and were completely dependent on the Lord to handle the issues they faced, instead of compromising and finding a solution. A feeling of desperation is evoked when the speaker puts her life at the hands of the Lord and lets life take its course because they know no other way to complete their life. This passage is similar to my life because at times I give up and wait for some sort of sign or guidance to lead me to a better solution to my problem.

Thesis:

In the poem “Huswifery” Edward Taylor expresses his desire for God’s grace through the use of extended metaphor, repetition and diction.

Dear Diary:

I begeth of you my Lord, to provide for me the utensils in order to make my life complete. Without your guidance I can not live the pure life of which I long to live, for you my God. You have given me so much already, but thy creation is not complete, please, Lord, give me the missing piece so that I may finish and influence the youth, for you my God.