Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CHRISTIAN ETHICS: AS IN A CLOCK, by THOMAS TRAHERNE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CHRISTIAN ETHICS: AS IN A CLOCK, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: As in a clock, 'tis hinder'd-force doth bring
Last Line: In its relation deep and exquisite.
Subject(s): Order


As in a clock, 'tis hinder'd-force doth bring
The wheels to order'd motion, by a spring;
Which order'd motion guides a steady hand
In useful sort at figures just to stand;
Which, were it not by counter-balance stay'd,
The fabric quickly would aside be laid
As wholly useless: so a might too great,
But well proportion'd, makes the world complete.
Power well-bounded is more great in might,
Than if let loose 'twere wholly infinite.
He could have made an endless sea by this,
But then it had not been a sea of bliss;
A sea that's bounded in a finite shore,
Is better far because it is no more.
Should waters endlessly exceed the skies,
They'd drown the world, and all whate'er we prize.
Had the bright sun been infinite, its flame
Had burnt the world, and quite consum'd the same.
That flame would yield no splendour to the sight,
'Twould be but darkness though 'twere infinite.
One star made infinite would all exclude,
An earth made infinite could ne'er be view'd.
But all being bounded for each other's sake,
He bounding all did all most useful make.
And which is best, in profit and delight,
Though not in bulk, He made all infinite.
He in His wisdom did their use extend,
By all, to all the world from end to end.
In all things, all things service do to all:
And thus a sand is endless, though most small.
And every thing is truly infinite,
In its relation deep and exquisite.





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