Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PREPAPATORY MEDITATIONS, 1ST SERIES: 33, by EDWARD TAYLOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PREPAPATORY MEDITATIONS, 1ST SERIES: 33, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: My lord my life, can envy ever be
Last Line: My love on thee my life, and it shall grow.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


My Lord my Life, can Envy ever bee
A Golden Vertue? Then would God I were
Top full thereof untill it colours mee
With yellow streaks for thy Deare sake most Deare,
Till I be Envious made by't at myselfe,
As scarcely loving thee my Life, my Health.

Oh! what strange Charm encrampt my Heart with spite
Making my Love gleame out upon a Toy?
Lay out Cart-Loads of Love upon a mite?
Scarce lay a mite of Love on thee, my Joy?
Oh, Lovely thou! Shalt not thou loved bee?
Shall I ashame thee thus? Oh! shame for mee!

Nature's amaz'de, Oh monstrous thing Quoth shee,
Not Love my life? What Violence doth split
True Love, and Life, that they should sunder'd bee?
She doth not lay such Eggs, nor on them sit.
How do I sever then my Heart with all
Its Powers whose Love scarce to my Life doth crawle.

Glory lin'de out a Paradise in Power
Where e'ry seed a Royall Coach became
For Life to ride in, to each shining Flower.
And made mans Flower with glory all ore flame.
Hells Inkfac'de Elfe black Venom spat upon
The same, and kill'd it. So that Life is gone.

Life thus abusde fled to the golden Arke,
Lay lockt up there in Mercie's seate inclosde:
Which did incorporate it whence its Sparke
Enlivens all things in this Arke inclosde.
Oh, glorious Arke! Life's Store-House full of Glee!
Shall not my Love safe lockt up ly in thee?

Lord arke my Soule safe in thyselfe, whereby
I and my Life again may joyned bee.
That I may finde what once I did destroy
Again Conferde upon my soul in thee.
Thou art this Golden Ark; this Living Tree
Where life lies treasurde up for all in thee.

Oh! Graft me in this Tree of Life within
The Paradise of God, that I may live.
Thy Life make live in mee; I'le then begin
To bear thy Living Fruits, and them forth give.
Give mee my Life this way; and I'le bestow
My Love on thee my Life, and it shall grow.





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