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. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CAVE PAINTING by HAYDEN CARRUTH BEAUTY THAT IS NEVER OLD by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON THE DAY OF THE DEAD SOLDIERS; MARY 30, 1869 by EMMA LAZARUS SLEEPING TOGETHER by KATHERINE MANSFIELD DOMESDAY BOOK: FINDING OF THE BODY by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |