Henry Vaughan (1622-1695). Man. Henry Charles Beeching, ed. 1903. Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse

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Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.

Man

By Henry Vaughan (1622–1695)


WEIGHING the steadfastness and state
Of some mean things which here below reside,
Where birds like watchful clocks the noiseless date
And intercourse of times divide,
Where bees at night get home and hive, and flow’rs,	5
Early as well as late,
Rise with the sun, and set in the same bow’rs,

I would, said I, my God would give
The staidness of these things to man! for these
To His divine appointments ever cleave,	10
And no new business breaks their peace;
The birds nor sow nor reap, yet sup and dine,
The flow’rs without clothes live,
Yet Solomon was never drest so fine.

Man hath still either toys or care;	15
He hath no root, nor to one place is tied,
But ever restless and irregular
About this earth doth run and ride.
He knows he hath a home, but scarce knows where;
He says it is so far,	20
That he hath quite forgot how to go there.

He knocks at all doors, strays and roams:
Nay, hath not so much wit as some stones have,
Which in the darkest nights point to their homes
By some hid sense their Maker gave;	25
Man is the shuttle, to whose winding quest
And passage through these looms
God order’d motion, but ordain’d no rest.