His Prayer For Absolution

For those my unbaptized rhymes,

Writ in my wild unhallowed times,

For every sentence, clause, and word,

That's not inlaid with Thee, my Lord,

Forgive me, God, and blot each line

Out of my book, that is not Thine.

But if, 'mongst all, Thou find'st here one

Worthy thy benediction,

That one of all the rest shall be

The glory of my work, and me.