George Herbert: Poems Lesson Plan

How does the poem's form, particularly its rhyme scheme, reinforce the theme? How does the form contribute to the poem's pathos?

Though there are certainly rhymes in the majority of the poem (e.g., more/store, blasted/wasted), they appear at random, not following any specific and repeated scheme. This changes at the end of the poem, with the last four lines settling into a distinct rhythm and an ABAB rhyme scheme. Herbert's choice in the poem's form emphasizes its theme. The speaker, and by extension all Christian believers, are weak and lost in the battle between their hearts and wills. Only through God do they achieve clarity and peace. The form of the poem is unruly...