196 ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
And while my God did all His glories show
I felt a vigour in my sense
That all was spirit. I within did flow
With seas of life, like wine ;
I nothing in the world did know
But twas divine.
Harsh ragged objects were concealed,
Oppressions, tears, and cries,
Sins, griefs, complaints, dissensions, weeping eyes,
Were hid ; and only things revealed
Which heavenly spirits and the angels prize.
The state of innocence
And bliss, not trades and poverties,
Did fill my sense.
The streets were paved with golden stones.
The boys and girls were mine,
Oh, how did all their lovely faces shine !
The sons of men were Holy Ones
In joy and beauty, then appeared to me,
And everything which here I found,
While like an angel I did see,
Adorned the ground.
Rich diamond and pearl and gold
In every place was seen ;
Rare splendours, yellow, blue, red, white, and green,
Mine eyes did everywhere behold.
Great wonders clothed with glory did appear,
Amazement was my bliss.
That and my wealth was everywhere :
No joy to this 1
Cursed and devised proprieties,
With envy, avarice,
And fraud, those fiends that spoil even Paradise^
Fled from the splendour of mine eyes.
And so did hedges, ditches, limits, bounds,
I dreamed not ought of those,
But wandered over all men's grounds,
And found repose.
Proprieties themselves were mine,
And hedges ornaments;
Walls, boxes, coffers, and their rich contents
Did not divide my joys, but all combine*
Clothes, ribbons, jewels, laces, I esteemed
My joys by others worn ;
For me they all to wear them seemed
When I was born, Thomas Traherne