Edward Taylor (1645-1729)

"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.

Thesis: In the poem “Huswifery”, Edward Taylor manipulates repetition, rhyme, imagery and similes to convey a tone of appreciation to religion, in order to emphasize the glory that comes from following the path of god.

Analysis

In the poem "Huswifery", Taylor demonstrates the how devout the Puritains were in colonial times. Taylor gives God so much praise and in the poem he asks God to make the most out of his life, by equipping him wihtt he words of God.