Entry D: Edward Taylor

Lancashire, Ian. “Edward Taylor, Huswifery”. Representative Poetry
Online. March 23, 2008. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/3108.html

"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
The first line of the poem “Huswifery” by Edward Taylor, is Taylor asking God to take control of his life. The overall point of this poem is that he is putting himself and his life in the hands of God. He is professing that he is His follower and has full faith in Him. I really liked his use of metaphors because it created images to go along with the poem. When reading “Huswifery,” I became pensive because he so willingly wants God to make his “loome,” yet there are so many people that don’t even believe in God. This poem is very touching because not everyone is able to fully follow God due to various reasons. It is very admirable of Taylor to want God to take control of his life and I respect him for that. This poem makes me question my own beliefs and makes feel the need to put more faith in God. Furthermore, this poem relates to everyday life because everyone has different beliefs as far as religion and everyone is in different stages as far as their commitment to their religion.

Dear Diary,
Today in church, we read a poem written by Edward Taylor. The poem was called “Huswifery.” Listening to the poem it is almost like listening to some asking for guidance and I could imagine someone kneeling at a loome praying. I loved Taylor’s use of metaphors. The way he compared life to a spinning wheel was so insightful! A lot of people in the church were nodding throughout the poem. The line “that I am cloathd in holy robes for glory” made me think of rich, bright clothes because I'm not really sure what type of clothes God would make. Taylor’s language was simple, yet it held a lot of meaning. As a Puritan, I believe in his poem because everything is in the will of God.

Poetry Chart
Title/Author:
Huswifery/ Edward Taylor

Speaker:
The speaker of this poem is a person who is putting their self and their life in the hands of the Lord.

Imagery:
A person praying, someone knitting

Sound:
Someone praying or asking for guidance

Rhythm/ Repetition/ Rhyme/ Alliteration/ Assonance/ Consonance:
The rhythm is ABABCC/ Lord, my, then/ the “th” sound is repeated

Paradox:
The poem sounds like a person wanting God to complete their spinning wheel and in the end they have new clothes. Actually, the speaker is asking for God to enrich their life and in the end, the person’s life is complete.

Tone:
The tone of this poem is very devout, or spiritual. The speaker is seeking guidance and is ready to put full faith in God. There is something sacred about this poem.

Irony:
At first the speaker wants God to take control of their life and it sounds like they are seeking guidance. Later when they say “Then mine apparell shall display before yee That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory,” it sounds like they are doing it for glory. On the contrary, the speaker is really saying he has done his best and is now he is ready to be rewarded in Heaven.

Conceit (Metaphor):
This poem is full of metaphors. Taylor relates his life to a “spinning wheel” and a “loome.” The speaker relates their clothes to their fulfilled life.

http://www.perusweaters.org/