Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE HOLY COMMUNION, by HENRY VAUGHAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Welcome sweet and sacred feast; welcome life Last Line: Become both food and shepherd to thy sheep. Alternate Author Name(s): Silurist Subject(s): Eucharist; Communion | ||||||||
Welcome sweet and sacred feast; welcome life! Dead I was, and deep in trouble; But grace and blessings came with thee so rife, That they have quickened even dry stubble; Thus souls their bodies animate, And thus, at first, when things were rude, Dark, void, and crude, They, by thy Word, their beauty had, and date; All were by thee, And still must be, Nothing that is, or lives, But hath his quick'nings and reprieves As thy hand opes, or shuts; Healings and cuts, Darkness and daylight, life and death Are but mere leaves turned by thy breath. Spirits without thee die, And blackness sits On the divinest wits, As on the sun eclipses lie. But that great darkness at thy death When the veil broke with thy last breath, Did make us see The way to thee; And now by these sure, sacred ties, After thy blood (Our sov'reign good) Had cleared our eyes, And given us sight; Thou dost unto thyself betroth Our souls and bodies both In everlasting light. Was't not enough that thou hadst paid the price And given us eyes When we had none, but thou must also take Us by the hand And keep us still awake, When we would sleep, Or from thee creep, Who without thee cannot stand? Was't not enough to lose thy breath And blood by an accursed death, But thou must also leave To us that did bereave Thee of them both, these seals the means That should both cleanse And keep us so, Who wrought thy woe? O rose of Sharon! O the lily Of the valley! How art thou now, thy flock to keep, Become both food and Shepherd to thy sheep. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BUGLER'S FIRST COMMUNION by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS NO-MORE-FEAR by WILLIAM ROSE BENET SURSUM CORDA by MARGARET CARROLL BRADY ON CHURCH COMMUNION by JOHN BYROM HOLY COMMUNION by ADA CAMBRIDGE |
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