To Thomas Butts

 TO my friend Butts I write 
My first vision of light, 
On the yellow sands sitting.
 
The sun was emitting 
His glorious beams 
From Heaven’s high streams.
 
Over sea, over land, 
My eyes did expand 
Into regions of air, 
Away from all care; 
Into regions of fire, 
Remote from desire; 
The light of the morning 
Heaven’s mountains adorning: 
In particles bright, 
The jewels of light 
Distinct shone and clear.
 
Amaz’d and in fear 
I each particle gaz?d, 
Astonish’d, amaz?d; 
For each was a Man 
Human-form’d.
 Swift I ran, 
For they beckon’d to me, 
Remote by the sea, 
Saying: ‘Each grain of sand, 
Every stone on the land, 
Each rock and each hill, 
Each fountain and rill, 
Each herb and each tree, 
Mountain, hill, earth, and sea, 
Cloud, meteor, and star, 
Are men seen afar.
’ 
I stood in the streams 
Of Heaven’s bright beams, 
And saw Felpham sweet 
Beneath my bright feet, 
In soft Female charms; 
And in her fair arms 
My Shadow I knew, 
And my wife’s Shadow too, 
And my sister, and friend.
 
We like infants descend 
In our Shadows on earth, 
Like a weak mortal birth.
 
My eyes, more and more, 
Like a sea without shore, 
Continue expanding, 
The Heavens commanding; 
Till the jewels of light, 
Heavenly men beaming bright, 
Appear’d as One Man, 
Who complacent began 
My limbs to enfold 
In His beams of bright gold; 
Like dross purg’d away 
All my mire and my clay.
 
Soft consum’d in delight, 
In His bosom sun-bright 
I remain’d.
 Soft He smil’d, 
And I heard His voice mild, 
Saying: ‘This is My fold, 
O thou ram horn’d with gold, 
Who awakest from sleep 
On the sides of the deep.
 
On the mountains around 
The roarings resound 
Of the lion and wolf, 
The loud sea, and deep gulf.
 
These are guards of My fold, 
O thou ram horn’d with gold!’ 
And the voice faded mild; 
I remain’d as a child; 
All I ever had known 
Before me bright shone: 
I saw you and your wife 
By the fountains of life.
 
Such the vision to me 
Appear’d on the sea.

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