The Retreat by Henry Vaughan
b"Vaughan read by Classic Poetry Aloud:\\nhttp://www.classicpoetryaloud.com/\\nGiving voice to the poetry of the past.\\n\\n---------------------------------------------\\n\\n The Retreat\\nby Henry Vaughan (1621 \\u2013 1695)\\n\\nHappy those early days, when I\\nShin'd in my Angel-infancy!\\nBefore I understood this place\\nAppointed for my second race,\\nOr taught my soul to fancy aught\\nBut a white celestial thought:\\nWhen yet I had not walk'd above\\nA mile or two from my first Love,\\nAnd looking back\\u2014at that short space\\u2014\\nCould see a glimpse of His bright face:\\nWhen on some gilded cloud, or flow'r,\\nMy gazing soul would dwell an hour,\\nAnd in those weaker glories spy\\nSome shadows of eternity:\\nBefore I taught my tongue to wound\\nMy Conscience with a sinful sound,\\nOr had the black art to dispense\\nA several sin to ev'ry sense,\\nBut felt through all this fleshly dress\\nBright shoots of everlastingness. \\n\\n O how I long to travel back,\\nAnd tread again that ancient track!\\nThat I might once more reach that plain\\nWhere first I left my glorious train;\\nFrom whence th' enlightned spirit sees\\nThat shady City of Palm-trees.\\nBut ah! my soul with too much stay\\nIs drunk, and staggers in the way!\\nSome men a forward motion love,\\nBut I by backward steps would move;\\nAnd when this dust falls to the urn,\\nIn that state I came, return."