"But when we cease / To draw the Breath of Life, the Soul on wing / Fleets like a Dream, from Elemental Dross / Disparted, and refin'd."
— Fenton, Elijah (1683-1730)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Bernard Lintot [etc.]
Date
1717
Metaphor
"But when we cease / To draw the Breath of Life, the Soul on wing / Fleets like a Dream, from Elemental Dross / Disparted, and refin'd."
Metaphor in Context
Of all Mankind O most to Grief inur'd!
Deem not that ought of Guile by Phantoms vain
Is here intended; but the Essence pure
Of sep'rate Souls is of all living Touch
Impassive: Here no gross material Frame
We wear, with Flesh incumber'd, Nerves, and Bone;
They're calcin'd on the Pile: But when we cease
To draw the Breath of Life, the Soul on wing
Fleets like a Dream, from Elemental Dross
Disparted, and refin'd. Now to the Realms
Illumin'd with the Sun's enliv'ning Beam,
Hence journeying upward, to your Consort dear
Disclose the Secrets of our State below.
Deem not that ought of Guile by Phantoms vain
Is here intended; but the Essence pure
Of sep'rate Souls is of all living Touch
Impassive: Here no gross material Frame
We wear, with Flesh incumber'd, Nerves, and Bone;
They're calcin'd on the Pile: But when we cease
To draw the Breath of Life, the Soul on wing
Fleets like a Dream, from Elemental Dross
Disparted, and refin'd. Now to the Realms
Illumin'd with the Sun's enliv'ning Beam,
Hence journeying upward, to your Consort dear
Disclose the Secrets of our State below.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "dross" in HDIS (Poetry)
Theme
Refinement
Date of Entry
07/19/2005
