Poem by Thomas Traherne

* * *

1

Ye hidden Nectars, which my GOD doth drink,
Ye Heavenly Streams, ye Beams Divine,
On which the Angels think,
How Quick, how Strongly do ye shine!
Ye Images of Joy that in me Dwell,
Ye Sweet Mysterious Shades
That do all Substances Excell,
Whose Glory Never fades;
Ye Skies, ye Seas, ye Stars, or things more fair,
O ever, ever unto me repair.

2

Ye Pleasant Thoughts! O how that Sun Divine
Appears to Day which I did see
So Sweetly then to Shine.
Even in my very Infancy!
Ye rich Ideas which within me live
Ye Living Pictures here
Ye Spirits that do bring and Give
All Joys; when ye appear,
Even Heavn it self, and God, and all in You,
Come down on Earth, and pleas my Blessed View.

3

I never Glorious Great and Rich am found,
Am never ravished with Joy,
Till ye my Soul Surround,
Till ye my Blessedness display.
No Soul but Stone, No Man but Clay am I,
No flesh, but Dust; till ye
Delight, invade to move my Ey,
And do replenish me.
My Sweet Informers and my Living Treasures
My great Companions, and my only Pleasures!

4

O what Incredible Delights, What Fires,
What Appetites, what Joys do ye
Occasion, what Desires,
What Heavenly Praises! While we see
What evry Seraphim above admires!
Your Jubilee and Trade
Ye are so Strangely, and Divinely made,
Shall never, never fade.
Ye ravish all my Soul, Of you I twice
Will speak. For in the Dark y'are Paradice.

1. Shadows in the Water
2. The Recovery
3. Dumbness
4. To the Same Purpose
5. The Apostasy

Print

2238 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version