Henry Vaughan, “The Retreat”

Happy those early dayes! when I	 
Shin’d in my Angell-infancy.	 
Before I understood this place	 
Appointed for my second race,	 
Or taught my soul to fancy ought
But a white, Celestiall thought,	 
When yet I had not walkt above	 
A mile, or two, from my first love,	 
And looking back (at that short space,)	 
Could see a glimpse of his bright-face;
When on some gilded Cloud, or flowre	 
My gazing soul would dwell an houre,	 
And in those weaker glories spy	 
Some shadows of eternity;	 
Before I taught my tongue to wound
My Conscience with a sinfull sound,	 
Or had the black art to dispence	 
A sev’rall sinne to ev’ry sence,	 
But felt through all this fleshly dresse	 
Bright shootes of everlastingnesse.
     O how I long to travell back	 
And tread again that ancient track!	 
That I might once more reach that plaine,	 
Where first I left my glorious traine,	 
From whence th’ Inlightned spirit sees
That shady City of Palme trees;	 
But (ah!) my soul with too much stay	 
Is drunk, and staggers in the way.	 
Some men a forward motion love,	 
But I by backward steps would move,
And when this dust falls to the urn	 
In that state I came return.	

Henry Vaughan, 1661-1695 – “The Retreat” from Complete Poems