Henry Vaughan
Henry Vaughan
Henry Vaughanwas a Welsh author, physician and metaphysical poet...
NationalityWelsh
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth17 April 1622
morning men firsts
Mornings are mysteries; the first world's youth, Man's resurrection, and the future's bud Shroud in their births.
death jewels dear
Dear beauteous death, the jewel of the just.
book herbs bees
As great a store Have we of books as bees of herbs or more.
prayer heart sleep
When first thy eyes unveil, give thy soul leave To do the like; our bodies but forerun The spirit's duty. True hearts spread and heave Unto their God, as flow'rs do to the sun. Give him thy first thoughts then; so shalt thou keep Him company all day, and in him sleep.
dream sleep angel
And yet, as angels in some brighter dreams Call to the soul when man doth sleep. So some strange thoughts transcend our wonted dreams, And into glory peep.
prayer wings despair
The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.
flower angel first-love
Happy those early days when I Shined in my Angel-infancy. Before I understood this place Appointed for my second race, Or taught my soul to fancy aught But a white, celestial thought; When yet I had not walked above A mile or two from my first love, And looking back (at that short space) Could see a glimpse of His bright face. When on some gilded cloud or flower My gazing soul would dwell an hour And in those weaker glories spy Some shadows of eternity.
light age gone
They are all gone into the world of light, and I alone sit lingering here.
country sweet stars
My soul, there is a country Far beyond the stars Where stands a wingèd sentry All skillful in the wars: There, above noise and danger, Sweet Peace is crowned with smiles, And One born in a manger Commands the beauteous files.
christmas spring ivy
So stick up ivy and the bays, and then restore the heathen ways, green will remind you of the Spring, though this great day denies the thing, and mortifies the earth, and all, but your wild revels, and loose hall.
night men darkness
There is in God - some say - A deep, but dazzling darkness; as men here Say it is late and dusky, because they See not all clear. O for that Night! where I in Him Might live invisible and dim!