This poem describes the speaker's spiritual experience and connection to God. It refers to their soul as a mirror reflecting eternal life, a virgin wife, and a spiritual creation within skin. It says the speaker's power and being come from seeing rather than enjoying, and that their bliss and duty consist of this vision. It portrays this vision as a fountain refreshing the speaker in everything, from which living streams derive to keep their thirsty soul alive.
This poem describes the speaker's spiritual experience and connection to God. It refers to their soul as a mirror reflecting eternal life, a virgin wife, and a spiritual creation within skin. It says the speaker's power and being come from seeing rather than enjoying, and that their bliss and duty consist of this vision. It portrays this vision as a fountain refreshing the speaker in everything, from which living streams derive to keep their thirsty soul alive.
Original Description:
Fullnesse by Thomas Traherne (1636-1674) Clarendon Press, 1910
This poem describes the speaker's spiritual experience and connection to God. It refers to their soul as a mirror reflecting eternal life, a virgin wife, and a spiritual creation within skin. It says the speaker's power and being come from seeing rather than enjoying, and that their bliss and duty consist of this vision. It portrays this vision as a fountain refreshing the speaker in everything, from which living streams derive to keep their thirsty soul alive.
This poem describes the speaker's spiritual experience and connection to God. It refers to their soul as a mirror reflecting eternal life, a virgin wife, and a spiritual creation within skin. It says the speaker's power and being come from seeing rather than enjoying, and that their bliss and duty consist of this vision. It portrays this vision as a fountain refreshing the speaker in everything, from which living streams derive to keep their thirsty soul alive.
That Light, that Sight, that Thought, Which in my Soul at first He Wrought, Is sure the only Act to which I may Assent this day: The Mirror of an endless Life; The Shadow of a Virgin-Wife; A Spritual Creation within; An Universe enclos’d in Skin: My Power exerted, or my perfect Being, If not Enjoying, yet an Act of Seeing: My Bliss Consists in this; My Duty too In this I view. It is a Fountain, or a Spring Refreshing me in ev’ry thing; From whence those living Streams I do derive, By which my thirsty Soul is kept alive. The Center and the Sphere Of my Delights are here: It is my David’s Tower Where all my Armor lies, The Fountain of my Power, My Bliss, my Sacrifice; A little Spark That shining in the dark Makes and encorages my Soul to rise. The Root of Hope, the Golden Chain Whose End is, as the Poets feign, Fasten’d to the very Throne Of JOVE: It is a Stone On which I sit; An endless Benefit, That, being made my Regal Throne, Doth prov An Oracle of His Eternal Lov.