The later poems of John Clare 1837-1864 ... General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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THE NEW JERUSALEM
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 | The later poems of John Clare |  |
THE NEW JERUSALEM
REV. CHAP 21st
& I looked & I saw a new heaven
& earth on the bosom of day
For the first earth was fled with its deeds unforgiven
& its heaven had perished away
& the ocean was dry & no longer it ran
Which had rolled ever since the creation of man
& earth on the bosom of day
For the first earth was fled with its deeds unforgiven
& its heaven had perished away
& the ocean was dry & no longer it ran
Which had rolled ever since the creation of man
152
& I John the most holy city descried
New Jerusalem coming from God to the living
Adorned for her husband prepared as a bride
& I heard a great voice speaking loud from the heaven
Behold the tabernacle of God is with men
& there he will dwell with his people agen
New Jerusalem coming from God to the living
Adorned for her husband prepared as a bride
& I heard a great voice speaking loud from the heaven
Behold the tabernacle of God is with men
& there he will dwell with his people agen
They shall be his people united & free
The choice of his love not the fear of his rod
& God shall dwell with them forever & be
Their soul keeping saviour redeemer & God
He shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes
There shall be no more death neither sorrows nor crys
The choice of his love not the fear of his rod
& God shall dwell with them forever & be
Their soul keeping saviour redeemer & God
He shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes
There shall be no more death neither sorrows nor crys
Nor shall there be any more sickness or pain
For the world & their sickness is passed & away
& he that sat on the throne said again
In language as bright as meridian day
& he said to me write I make all things as new
& the words which I spake are both faithfull & true
For the world & their sickness is passed & away
& he that sat on the throne said again
In language as bright as meridian day
& he said to me write I make all things as new
& the words which I spake are both faithfull & true
& once more he said unto me—now it is done
I am Alpha—Omega—beginning & end
Their thirst shall have water as clear as the sun
For I am lifes fountain benefactor & friend
To him that oercometh all goodness is won
His God I will be then & he is my son
I am Alpha—Omega—beginning & end
Their thirst shall have water as clear as the sun
For I am lifes fountain benefactor & friend
To him that oercometh all goodness is won
His God I will be then & he is my son
But the vain unbelieving & them that have fear
The abominable—murderers whoremongers & liars
Idolaters scorcerers mocking the seer
I leave in the lake of unquenchable fires
There burning forever their being & breath
& this is the second existance of death
The abominable—murderers whoremongers & liars
Idolaters scorcerers mocking the seer
I leave in the lake of unquenchable fires
There burning forever their being & breath
& this is the second existance of death
153
One of the seven angels then came unto me
Which held the seven plagues in seven phials of strife
Saying come hither & I will show unto thee
The light of salvation the bride & lambs wife
& me in the spirit he carried away & won
To a great & high mountain that peered to the sun
Which held the seven plagues in seven phials of strife
Saying come hither & I will show unto thee
The light of salvation the bride & lambs wife
& me in the spirit he carried away & won
To a great & high mountain that peered to the sun
Whose forhead looked green in the realms of the sky
Whose crags in the beams of eternity nod
& shewed me a city great glorious & high
New Jerusalem descending from heaven & God
Having Gods glory eternitys light
As precious as jasper as crystal more bright
Whose crags in the beams of eternity nod
& shewed me a city great glorious & high
New Jerusalem descending from heaven & God
Having Gods glory eternitys light
As precious as jasper as crystal more bright
& had a great wall shining spacious & high
& twelve gates about it that glittered like flames
& twelve angels watched from the realms of the sky
& written thereon were the tribes & their names
On the east & the north six gates I descried
& the south & the west three on every side
& twelve gates about it that glittered like flames
& twelve angels watched from the realms of the sky
& written thereon were the tribes & their names
On the east & the north six gates I descried
& the south & the west three on every side
Twelve foundations the walls of the city upheld
& twelve names thereon—the apostles of God
& he that talked with me a golden reed held
An emblem of justice & truth not his rod
To measure the city the gates & the wall
In kindness & love doing equal by all
& twelve names thereon—the apostles of God
& he that talked with me a golden reed held
An emblem of justice & truth not his rod
To measure the city the gates & the wall
In kindness & love doing equal by all
& the plan of the city it lieth foursquare
The breadth is as long as the height & the length
Twelve thousand furlongs his reed measured there
The contents of that city of glory & strength
The length & the breadth & the height of the plan
Are equal—like God in his mercey to man
The breadth is as long as the height & the length
Twelve thousand furlongs his reed measured there
The contents of that city of glory & strength
The length & the breadth & the height of the plan
Are equal—like God in his mercey to man
154
& he measured the wall with the reed in his hand
Of cubits one hundred & forty & four
According to the measure of a man was the wand
That is of the angel who guarded the door
The walls was of jasper the city pure gold
As clear as a mirror of glass to behold
Of cubits one hundred & forty & four
According to the measure of a man was the wand
That is of the angel who guarded the door
The walls was of jasper the city pure gold
As clear as a mirror of glass to behold
The walls of the city were garnished like fire
With all manner of sorts of rich precious stones
The first foundation was jasper the second sapphire
The third chalcedony more splendid then thrones
The fourth was an emerald green as the waves
Of the earth that was vanished with oceans & graves
With all manner of sorts of rich precious stones
The first foundation was jasper the second sapphire
The third chalcedony more splendid then thrones
The fourth was an emerald green as the waves
Of the earth that was vanished with oceans & graves
The fifth was sardonix & sardius the sixth
The seventh was chrysolyte—yellow & green
& Beryl the eight[h] & of yellow unmixt
The ninth was a topaz—the rest they were seen
Chrysoparsus a jacinth an amethist—blue
As violets that in the old fallen world grew
The seventh was chrysolyte—yellow & green
& Beryl the eight[h] & of yellow unmixt
The ninth was a topaz—the rest they were seen
Chrysoparsus a jacinth an amethist—blue
As violets that in the old fallen world grew
The twelve gates were twelve pearls of delight to behold
Every gate was one pearl where no mortal could look
& the street of the city was paved with pure gold
Transparent as glass & the waves of a brook
& no temple there showed itself in my sight
For the Lord God himself was its temple & light
Every gate was one pearl where no mortal could look
& the street of the city was paved with pure gold
Transparent as glass & the waves of a brook
& no temple there showed itself in my sight
For the Lord God himself was its temple & light
155
No need had the city of sun or the moon
To shine on its splendour—the builder & giver
Of its glory—was also its light & its boon
His sun shone upon it for ever & ever
There the nations of them that are saved meet a home
There the kings of the earth bring their glories & come
To shine on its splendour—the builder & giver
Of its glory—was also its light & its boon
His sun shone upon it for ever & ever
There the nations of them that are saved meet a home
There the kings of the earth bring their glories & come
& its gates they shall never be closed by day
& night in that city shall never be known
The righteous shall there truth & glory display
& the honour of nations shall make it their own
No wickedness there shall destroy their abode
Or enemies poison the friendship of God
& night in that city shall never be known
The righteous shall there truth & glory display
& the honour of nations shall make it their own
No wickedness there shall destroy their abode
Or enemies poison the friendship of God
In no wise shall enter any thing to defile
& no abomination of evil come nigh
No wickedness working deception or guile
Nor any that forgeth or maketh a lie
But they which are written in Gods book of life
They shall live here forever from sorrow & strife
& no abomination of evil come nigh
No wickedness working deception or guile
Nor any that forgeth or maketh a lie
But they which are written in Gods book of life
They shall live here forever from sorrow & strife
| The later poems of John Clare | |