poetry lecture

We read this poem today, the tutor for this lecture is Irish, so do your best with the accent :)

All Legendary Obstacles

All legendary obstacles lay between
Us, the long imaginary plain,
The monstrous ruck of mountains
And, swinging across the night,
Flooding the Sacramento, San Joaquin,
The hissing drift of winter rain.

All day I waited, shifting
Nervously from station to bar
As I saw another train sail
By, the San Francisco Chief or
Golden Gate, water dripping
From great flanged wheels.

At midnight you came, pale
Above the negro porter's lamp.
I was too blind with rain
And doubt to speak, but
Reached from the platform
Until our chilled hands met.

You had been travelling for days
With an old lady, who marked
A neat circle on the glass
With her glove, to watch us
Move into the wet darkness
Kissing, still unable to speak.

John Montague
Beautiful huh?

Its rainy today, and Im writing a paper about George Herbert, a minor english poet (which is fitting) who writes about God mostly, and the church. My question is "Is Herbert's poetry more like prayer than art, and therefore better read by his fellow believers? Discuss.

My rough thesis, I emphasise rough : George Herbert's poems are closer to prayer than art, because though they contain qualities of artistic expression his poems embody religious themes and enable the reader to meditate more closely on God.

:)