Wonder
Wonder
Original Text
Thomas Traherne, Poetical Works, ed. Bertram Dobell (London: published by the editor, 1903). PR 3736 T7 1903 VUCR.
1 How like an angel came I down!
2 How bright are all things here!
3When first among his works I did appear
4 O how their glory me did crown!
5The world resembled his eternity,
6 In which my soul did walk;
7 And ev'ry thing that I did see
8 Did with me talk.
9 The skies in their magnificence,
10 The lively, lovely air;
11Oh how divine, how soft, how sweet, how fair!
12 The stars did entertain my sense,
13And all the works of God, so bright and pure,
14 So rich and great did seem,
15 As if they ever must endure
16 In my esteem.
17 A native health and innocence
18 Within my bones did grow,
19And while my God did all his glories show,
20 I felt a vigour in my sense
21That was all spirit. I within did flow
22 With seas of life, like wine;
23 I nothing in the world did know
24 But 'twas divine.
25 Harsh ragged objects were conceal'd,
26 Oppressions tears and cries,
27Sins, griefs, complaints, dissensions, weeping eyes
28 Were hid, and only things reveal'd
29Which heav'nly spirits, and the angels prize.
30 The state of innocence
31 And bliss, not trades and poverties,
32 Did fill my sense.
33 The streets were pav'd with golden stones,
34 The boys and girls were mine,
35Oh how did all their lovely faces shine!
36 The sons of men were holy ones,
37In joy and beauty they appear'd to me,
38 And every thing which here I found,
39 While like an angel I did see,
40 Adorn'd the ground.
41 Rich diamond and pearl and gold
42 In ev'ry place was seen;
43Rare splendours, yellow, blue, red, white and green,
44 Mine eyes did everywhere behold.
45Great wonders cloth'd with glory did appear,
46 Amazement was my bliss,
47 That and my wealth was ev'ry where:
48 No joy to this!
50 With envy, avarice
51And fraud, those fiends that spoil even Paradise,
52 Flew from the splendour of mine eyes,
53And so did hedges, ditches, limits, bounds,
54 I dream'd not aught of those,
55 But wander'd over all men's grounds,
56 And found repose.
57 Proprieties themselves were mine,
58 And hedges ornaments;
59Walls, boxes, coffers, and their rich contents
60 Did not divide my joys, but all combine.
61Clothes, ribbons, jewels, laces, I esteem'd
62 My joys by others worn:
63 For me they all to wear them seem'd
64 When I was born.
Notes
49] proprieties: proprietorship. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1903
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
3RP 1.373-74.
Rhyme