Today’s Poem: Here and There

Reading Hannah More

Izaak van Oosten, Heaven on Earth, c. 1650 (Wikimedia Commons)

Here and There

by Hannah More

Here bliss is short, imperfect, insincere,
But total, absolute, and perfect there.
Here time’s a moment, short our happiest state,
There infinite duration is our date.
Here Satan tempts, and troubles ev’n the best,
There Satan’s power extends not to the blest.
In a weak sinful body here I dwell,
But there I drop this frail and sickly shell.
Here my best thoughts are stain’d with guilt and fear,
But love and pardon shall be perfect there.
Here my best duties are defil’d with sin,
There all is ease without and peace within.
Here feeble faith supplies my only light,
There faith and hope are swallow’d up in sight.
Here love of self my fairest works destroys,
There love of God shall perfect all my joys.
Here things, as in a glass, are darkly shown,
There I shall know as clearly as I’m known.
Frail are the fairest flowers which bloom below,
There freshest palms on roots immortal grow.
Here wants or car…