Henry Vaughan (1622?-1695)
The Evening-Watch: A Dialogue
BODY
1 Farewell! I go to sleep; but when
2 The day-star springs, I'll wake again.
SOUL
3 Go, sleep in peace; and when thou liest
4Unnumber'd in thy dust, when all this frame
5Is but one dram, and what thou now descriest
6 In sev'ral parts shall want a name,
7Then may his peace be with thee, and each dust
8Writ in his book, who ne'er betray'd man's trust!
BODY
9 Amen! but hark, ere we two stray
10 How many hours dost think 'till day?
SOUL
11 Ah go; th'art weak, and sleepy. Heav'n
12Is a plain watch, and without figures winds
13All ages up; who drew this circle, even
14 He fills it; days and hours are blinds.
15Yet this take with thee. The last gasp of time
16Is thy first breath, and man's eternal prime.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Henry Vaughan, Silex Scintillans (1650). Scolar Press, 1970. PR 3669 R2 1680AC ROBA.
First publication date:
1650
RPO poem editor: N. J. Endicott
RP edition: 3RP 1.371-72.
Recent editing: 2:2002/6/7
Rhyme: aa ababcc (repeating)
Other poems by Henry Vaughan
