To the Same Purpose

by Thomas Traherne

To the same purpose: he, not long before
  Brought home from nurse, going to the door
    To do some little thing
    He must not do within,
      With wonder cries,
      As in the skies
He saw the moon, "O yonder is the moon,
  Newly come after me to town,
That shined at Lugwardin but yesternight,
  Where I enjoyed the self-same sight."

As if it had ev'n twenty thousand faces,
  It shines at once in many places;
    To all the earth so wide
    God doth the stars divide,
      With so much art
      The moon impart,
They serve us all; serve wholly every one
  As if they servèd him alone.
While every single person hath such store,
  'Tis want of sense that makes us poor.


Monadnock Valley Press > Traherne