The poetical works of Thomas Traherne faithfully reprinted from the author's original manuscript together with Poems of Felicity reprinted from the Burney manuscript and Poems from Various Sources: Edited with preface and notes by Gladys I. Wade |
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| 1. | First Day. |
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 | The poetical works of Thomas Traherne |  |
First Day.
Hail, sacred Light, which highly dost excel,And dost our Sorrows and our Fears dispel!
When first appearing thou didst strike the Sight
With darting Beams, all glorious fair and bright,
And wondrous charming, Oh! how great and full
Of sparkling Glory! Oh! how beautiful!
How sweet thy Shine! How ravishing thy Rays!
Proclaiming loud thy great Creator's Praise,
When marvellously he had now decreed,
That Day should Night, and Night should Day succeed;
That this His Works and Wonders might display,
And shadow forth his own eternal Day;
Whilst that should temper the Day's increasing Drought,
Moisten the Air, and make the Earth to sprout.
He gave the Word, and Day did straight appear,
Till Day at length declin'd, and Night drew near.
Night, which hovering with her sable Wing,
Doth Ease and Rest to wearied Mortals bring.
Thus Nights and Days, and Days and Nights do fly,
Returning in their Course successively;
Each with its Comforts, though of diff'rent kinds,
Both for our active and our drooping Minds.
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By Day and Night let's bless our Lord and King,
The King of all the World, in whom we move
And live, and are, the mighty God above.
Amen.
| The poetical works of Thomas Traherne | |