Poetry Review – John Betjeman – An Eighteenth Century Calvinistic Hymn

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Another great early poem (1932) from John Betjeman. This time he describes a Calvinist thanking God for keeping him in ill-health and suffering as it prevents him from the temptation to go out sinning when he can barely lie down because he is in pain. He thinks his boils help keep him out of Hell. After all, if he was healthy, he might be out indulging in gambling and dancing, and playing backgammon. He feels grateful for leprosy as a proof of God’s love for him. Satirical but frightfully true of many Calvinists and Puritans. Frankly I’ll take my chances by being healthy. Arthur Chappell