In Praise of Little Known Poets - On This Date

On This Date – Sept. 27^th, In Praise of Little Known Poets – Thomas Traherne died Sept 27, 1674.

I didn't think to blog on Poets.  I am not one, although I have done a couple that I thought were ok.  

My son, Christopher, is our family Poet.  He is good and I truly love reading what he has done.  And with his permission I will post some from time to time.

I get this Church History page that lets me see what happened in History on this date.  That a little of google searching led me to a "little known poet" named Thomas Traherne.

He was born in Hereford, England, a son of a shoemaker.  He was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1652, achieving an MA in arts and divinity nine years later. For most of his career he served as a Parish Minister.  He did end it as a private chaplain to one of the officers of the royalty under Charles II.  He died on Sept. 27, 1674...today being the 339th year since that day.

He was not known as a poet during his lifetime.  He wrote numbers of pages of poetry and grouped them together into themes, but only one set of pages was ever published in his lifetime.  After his death, almost 20 years after, a well known English publisher discovered the poetry and published them in their original style.

I read a few of his poems and found that he often focused on God's mystery and majesty.  Here's a sample of one of those, which also served as a title to one of his manuscripts.  I enjoyed reading it...in fact, read it two or three times to fully grasp what he's saying...it's good.

A Serious and Pathetical Contemplation of the Mercies of God

For all the mysteries, engines, instruments, wherewith the world is filled, which we are able to frame and use to thy glory.

For all the trades, variety of operations, cities, temples, streets, bridges, mariner's compass, admirable picture, sculpture, writing, printing, songs and music; wherewith the world is beautified and adorned.

Much more for the regent life,
And power of perception,
Which rules within.
That secret depth of fathomless consideration
That receives the information
Of all our senses,
That makes our centre equal to the heavens,
And comprehendeth in itself the magnitude of the world;
The involv'd mysteries
Of our common sense;
The inaccessible secret
Of perceptive fancy;
The repository and treasury
Of things that are past;
The presentation of things to come;
Thy name be glorified
For evermore.
....

O miracle
Of divine goodness!
O fire! O flame of zeal, and love, and joy!
Ev'n for our earthly bodies, hast thou created all things.
{ visible }
All things { material }
{ sensible }
Animals,
Vegetables,
Minerals,

Bodies celestial,
Bodies terrestrial,
The four elements,
Volatile spirits,
Trees, herbs, and flowers,
The influences of heaven,
Clouds, vapors, wind,
Dew, rain, hail and snow,
Light and darkness, night and day,
The seasons of the year.
Springs, rivers, fountains, oceans,
Gold, silver, and precious stones.
Corn, wine, and oil,
The sun, moon, and stars,
Cities, nations, kingdoms.
And the bodies of men, the greatest treasures of all,
For each other.
What then, O Lord, hast thou intended for our
Souls, who givest to our bodies such glorious things! 

Thomas Traherne