Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PREPARATORY MEDITATIONS, 2D SERIES: 41 by EDWARD TAYLOR

Poet Analysis

First Line: THAT WISDOM BRIGHT, WHOSE VASTNESS FOR EXTENT
Last Line: AMONG THY PALACE SONGS THY PRAISE TO SING.
Subject(s): PURITANS IN LITERATURE;
That Wisdom bright whose vastness for extent
Commensurates Dimension infinite
A Palace built with Saphir-Battlement
Bepinkt with Sun, Moon, Starrs, all gold-fire bright,
Plac'de man his Pupill here, and ev'ry thing,
With loads of Learning, came to tutor him.

But he (alas) did at the threashould trip
Fell, Crackt the glass through which the Sun should shine
That darkness gross his noble Soule doth tip.
Each twig is bow'd with loads of follies Rhime.
That ev'ry thing in tutoring, is a toole
To whip the Scholler that did play the foole.

The Case thus stands: Hence matters up arose
More sweet than Roses, and out-shine the Sun:
That Living Wisdom put on dying Cloaths:
In mortal roabs to Sorrows Schoole house run.
The Vessell full can hold no more, doth goe
To Schoole to learn, whose learning cannot grow.

Christ, where all Wisdom's Treasures hidden are,
Is Schollar, Suffering's his Tutor-Master:
Obedience, is his Lesson, which (as fair
As Light in th' Sun) flows from him, yea and faster.
But how should he learn any learning more
In whom all Learning's ever lodg'd before?

Surely it must be said, the Humane Hall,
Though furnished with all Ripe Grace, yet was
Not all ore Window, that no beame at all
Of further light could have into it pass.
He grew in Wisdom, Wisdom grew in him
As in's, though's Godhead other wayes did't bring.

Though Grace in Christ forever perfect was
And he e're perfectly was free from Sin
His progress yet in Knowledg needs must pass
The Passes, humane modes, admit the thing.
Hence learnd Obedience in his Suff'ring-Schoole.
Experience taught him (though a Feeble toole).

O Condescention! Shall the Heavens do
Low Conjues to the Earth? or Sun array
Itselfe with Clouds, and to a Glow worm go
For Light to make all o're the World light day?
That thou should learn in Sorrows Schoole, in whom
All learning is, and whence all learnings come?

Wonder, my Soule, at this great Wonder bright
And in this frame, Lord, let my heart to thee
On Angells Wings fly, out of Earths Eyesight.
Obedience learn in Sorrows Schoole of thee
Till right Obedience me hath handed in
Among thy Palace Songs thy praise to sing.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net