Puritan Pipe Poetry... really!

[mrjoshua]

Wish I had this on my smoking porch some way...
"Smoking Spiritualized", by Reverend Ralph Erskine
Part I

This Indian weed now wither’d quite,

Though green at noon, cut down at night,

Shows thy decay;

All flesh is hay.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The pipe so lily-like and weak,

Does thus thy mortal state bespeak.

Thou are ev’n such,

Gone with a touch.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the pipe grows foul within,

Think on thy soul defil’d with sin;

For then the fire,

It does require.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And seest the ashes cast away;

Then to thyself thou mayest say,

That to the dust

Return thou must.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Part II

Was this small plant for thee cut down?

So was the plant of great renown;

Which mercy sends

For nobler ends.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Doth juice medicinal proceed

From such a naughty foreign weed?

Then what’s the pow’r

Of Jesse’s Flow’r?

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The promise, like the pipe inlays,

And by the mouth of faith conveys

What virtue flows

From Sharon’s rose.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
In vain the unlighted pipe you blow;

Your pains in outward means are so,

Till heavn’ly fire

The heart inspire.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The smoke, like burning incense tow’rs;

So should a praying heart of yours,

With ardent cries,

Surmount the skies.

Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

 

[marmal4de]

Neat, thanks for the contribution!

 

[olderthandirt]

A favorite ditty indeed. Would take a rather large plaque to display on a front porch!
This one and many others can be found in the collection "Pipe and Pouch

The Smoker's Own Book of Poetry" by Joseph Knight available here at Project Gutenberg.
This among the first e-books I put on my Kindle. Great for a smoke and a read!

 

[loneredtree]

Thanks Joshua. I had that set to music in a recorder (flute) tune book. Never have seen that many versus. ::