THE RAVEN by Hester Pulter

The dubious raven doth her young forsake;

Whilst callow she no care of them will take

Till she perceives their plumes of sable hue,

They being nourished with celestial dew.

If God the voice of volatiles doth hear,                                (flying creatures)

Why should His children then so faint and fear?

‘Twas He that these hard-hearted birds did make

Of His Elijah constant care to take;

When he involved was in want and sorrow

They brought him bread and flesh both eve and morrow.

This, God’s affections altereth every hour

To show us His infinite love and power.

Then as thy friends and near relations die

To Him alone (to Him) for comfort fly.

For though thy father and thy mother be

In no capacity to comfort thee,

And though successive sorrows and new fears

Make thee His altar cover o’er with tears,            (Malachi 2:13)

May, though thy only love doth thee forsake,

Yet He will then thee to His mercy take.

Despair not then, my soul, but patient be;

For He that hears young ravens will hear thee.

This is Emblem 11; the natural history of the emblems, up to date at the time Pulter wrote, can be a bit dubious!

More from Dalkeith