Religion

Of Contentment

by Thomas Traherne 1636?–1674

From Poetical Works, ed. B. Dobell (1906)

Religion

Contentment is a sleepy thing
If it in Death alone must die;
A quiet Mind is worse than Poverty,
Unless it from Enjoyment spring!
That's Blessedness alone that makes a King!
Wherein the Joys and Treasures are so great,
They all the powers of the Soul employ,
And fill it with a Work compleat,
While it doth all enjoy.
True Joys alone Contentment do inspire,
Enrich Content and make our Courage higher.
Content alone's a dead and silent Stone;
The real life of Bliss
Is Glory reigning in a Throne,
Where all Enjoyment is.
The Soul of Man is so inclin'd to see,
Without his Treasures no man's Soul can be,
Nor rest content Uncrown'd!
Desire and Love
Must in the height of all their Rapture move,
Where there is true Felicity.
Employment is the very life and ground
Of Life itself; whose pleasant Motion is
The form of Bliss:
All Blessedness a life with Glory Crown'd:
Life! Life is all; in its most full extent
Stretcht out to all things, and with all Content!

MLA

Traherne, Thomas. “Of Contentment.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/traherne/51/.

Chicago

Traherne, Thomas. “Of Contentment.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/traherne/51/.

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