Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE WORLD (1), by HENRY VAUGHAN Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: I saw eternity the other night Last Line: But for his bride. Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist Variant Title(s): A Vision Subject(s): Bible; Christianity; Earth; Freedom; Future Life; Mankind; Religion; World; Liberty; Retribution; Eternity; After Life; Human Race; Theology | ||||||||
I saw Eternity the other night, Like a great ring of pure and endless light, All calm, as it was bright; And round beneath it, time in hours, days, years, Driven by the spheres Like a vast shadow moved; in which the world And all her train were hurled: The doting lover in his quaintest strain Did there complain; Near him, his lute, his fancy, and his flights, Wit's sour delights, With gloves and knots, the silly snares of pleasure, Yet his dear treasure, All scattered lay, while he his eyes did pour Upon a flower. The darksome statesman, hung with weights and woe, Like a thick midnight-fog, moved there so slow, He did not stay, nor go; Condemning thoughts, like sad eclipses, scowl Upon his soul, And clouds of crying witnesses without Pursued him with one shout; Yet digged the mole, and lest his ways be found Worked underground, Where he did clutch his prey, but One did see That policy; Churches and altars fed him; perjuries Were gnats and flies; It rained about him blood and tears, but he Drank them as free. The fearful miser on a heap of rust Sat pining all his life there, did scarce trust His own hands with the dust, Yet would not place one piece above, but lives In fear of thieves. Thousands there were as frantic as himself, And hugged each one his pelf: The downright epicure placed heav'n in sense, And scorned pretense; While others, slipped into a wide excess, Said little less; The weaker sort slight trivial wares enslave, Who think them brave; And poor, despised Truth sat counting by Their victory. Yet some, who all this while did weep and sing, And sing and weep, soared up into the ring; But most would use no wing. O fools, said I, thus to prefer dark night Before true light! To live in grots and caves, and hate the day Because it shows the way; The way which from this dead and dark abode Leads up to God; A way where you might tread the sun, and be More bright than he! But as I did their madness so discuss, One whispered thus: This ring the Bridegroom did for none provide But for His bride. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MYSTIC BOUNCE by TERRANCE HAYES MATHEMATICS CONSIDERED AS A VICE by ANTHONY HECHT UNHOLY SONNET 11 by MARK JARMAN SHINE, PERISHING REPUBLIC by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE COMING OF THE PLAGUE by WELDON KEES |
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