EDEN by THOMAS TRAHERNE

A learned and a happy Ignorance
Divided me
From all the Vanity,
From all the Sloth, Care, Sorrow, that advance
The Madness and the Misery
Of Men. No Error, no Distraction, I
Saw cloud the Earth, or over-cast the Sky.
I knew not that there was a Serpent's Sting,
Whose Poyson shed
On Men, did overspread
The World: Nor did I dream of such a thing
As Sin, in which Mankind lay dead.
They all were brisk and living Things to me,
Yea pure, and full of Immortality.
Joy, Pleasure, Beauty, Kindness, charming Lov,
Sleep, Life, and Light,
Peace, Melody, my Sight
Mine Ears and Heart did fill and freely mov;
All that I saw did me delight:
The Universe was then a World of Treasure
To me an Universal World of Pleasure.
Unwelcom Penitence I then thought not on;
Vain costly Toys;
Swearing and roaring Boys,
Shops, Markets, Taverns, Coaches, were unknown,
So all things were that drown my Joys:
No Thorns choakt-up my Path, nor hid the face
Of Bliss and Glory, nor eclypst my place.
Only what Adam in his first Estate
Did I behold;
Hard Silver and dry Gold
As yet lay under-ground: My happy Fate
Was more acquainted with the old
And innocent Delights which he did see
In his Original Simplicity
Those things which first his Eden did adorn,
My infancy
Did crown: Simplicity
Was my Protection when I first was born.
Mine Eys those Treasures first did see
Which God first made: The first Effects of Lov
My first Enjoyments upon Earth did prov.
And were so Great, and so Divine, so Pure,
So fair and sweet,
So tru; when I did meet
Them here at first, they did my Soul allure,
And drew away mine Infant-feet
Quite from the Works of Men, that I might see
The glorious Wonders of the DEITY.

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