Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!


In Easter celebration, another poem from my ancient relative who shares my surname (and family shield):

EASTER-DAY. 

Thou, whose sad heart, and weeping head lies low, 
Whose cloudy breast cold damps invade, 
Who never feel'st the sun, nor smooth'st thy brow, 
But sitt'st oppressed in the shade, 
Awake! awake! 
And in His resurrection partake. 
Who on this day — that thou might'st rise as He — 
Rose up, and cancell'd two deaths due to thee. 

Awake! awake! and, like the sun, disperse 
All mists that would usurp this day; 
Where are thy palms, thy branches, and thy verse? 
Hosanna! hark; why dost thou stay? 
Arise! arise! 
And with His healing blood anoint thine eyes, 
Thy inward eyes; His blood will cure thy mind, 
Whose spittle only could restore the blind.

Henry Vaughan (1621?-1695)

Grave of Henry Vaughan, Llansantffraed, Wales
 

ADDENDUM
May 2, 2012
Found an article from 1982 on the Poetry of Henry Vaughan as a precursor to the Restoration (of the Gospel, not the monarchy) in BYU Studies here.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are welcome. Feel free to disagree as many do. You can even be passionate (in moderation). Comments that contain offensive language, too many caps, conspiracy theories, gratuitous Mormon bashing, personal attacks on others who comment, or commercial solicitations- I send to spam. This is a troll-free zone. Charity always!