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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| 2. | § 2. POEMS FROM THE BOOK OF PRIVATE DEVOTIONS. |
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 | The poetical works of Thomas Traherne |  |
§ 2. POEMS FROM THE BOOK OF PRIVATE DEVOTIONS.
I
[Unto the Spring of Purest Life]
1
Unto the Spring of Purest LifeAspires my Withered Heart,
My Soul confined in this Flesh
Employs both Strength and Art
Working, Strugling, Suing still,
From Exile, home to part.
221
2
Who can utter the full JoyWhich that High Place doth hold,
Where all the Buildings founded are
On Orient Pearls untold.
And all the Work of those High rooms
Doth Shine with Beams of Gold.
3
The Season is not Changd, but stillBoth Sun and Moon are Bright,
The Lamb of this fair City is
That Clear Immortal Light
Whose Presence makes Eternal Day
Which never Ends in Night.
4
Nay all the Saints them selvs shall Shine,As Bright as Brightest Sun;
In fullest Triumph Crowned, They
To Mutual Joys shall run:
And safely count their Fights and Foes
When once the War is don.
5
For being freed from all Defect,They feel no fleshly War;
Or rather both the Flesh and Mind
At length united are.
For Joying in so Rich a Peace,
They can admit no Jar:
222
6
Being Cheerfull, Clear, and Content,They from Mishaps are Free.
No Sickness there can threaten Health,
Nor Yong men Old can be.
There they Enjoy such Happy State,
That in't no Change they see.
7
Who Know the Knower of all Things,What can they chuse but Know?
They all behold each others Hearts
And all their Secrets Shew.
One Act of Will, and of not Will,
From all their Minds do flow.
8
Tho all their Merits Divers beAccording to their Pains,
Yet LOV doth make that evry ones
Which any other gains.
And all which doth belong to One
To all of them pertains.
9
O Happy Soul, which shalt beholdThis King still present there;
And mayst from thence behold the World
Run round, Secure from fear:
With Stars and Planets, Moon and Sun,
Still moving in their Sphere!
223
10
O King of Kings giv me such StrengthIn this Great War depending;
That I may here prevail at length,
And ever be Ascending.
Till I at last Arrive to Thee
The Source of all Felicity.
II
[Com Holy Ghost Eternal God]
1
Com Holy Ghost Eternal GodOur Hearts with Life Inspire
Inkindle Zeal in all our Souls
And fill us with thy Heavenly fire.
2
Send forth thy Beams, and Let thy GraceUpon my Spirit shine:
That I may all thy Works enjoy,
Revive, Sing Praises, be Divine.
III An Hymne upon St. Bartholomews Day.
1
What Powerfull Spirit livs within!What Active Angel doth inhabit here!
What Heavenly Light inspires my Skin;
Which doth so like a Dietie appear!
224
Within me see,
A TEMPLE OF ETERNITIE!
All Kingdoms I Descrie
In Me.
2
An Inward Omnipresence here,Mysteriously like His with in me stands;
Whose Knowledg is a Sacred Sphere,
That in it self at once Includes all Lands.
There is som ANGEL that within Me can
Both Talk and Move
And Walk and flie and See and love
A Man on Earth, a Man
Above.
3
Dull Walls of Clay my SPIRIT leavsAnd in a Forrein Kindom doth appear,
This Great Apostle it receivs,
Admires his Works and sees them, standing here.
Within My Self from East to West I move,
As if I were
At once a CHERUBIM and Sphere,
Or was at once abov,
And here.
4
The Soul's a Messenger wherbyWithin our Inward Temple We may be
Even like the very Dietie,
In all the parts of His Eternitie.
225
Flesh is but Clay!
O fly my Soul, and haste away
To Jesus THRONE, or CROSS.
Obey!
| The poetical works of Thomas Traherne | |