Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical poetry began in the seventeenth century as a way of crossing boundaries and fusing unrelated subjects such a secular love and passion in religious verse. (Your poem does not have to include religion or God)

Basically abstract notions are vividly conveyed in colourful and often astonishing figures of speech. In some cases, even the layout or the shape of he poem plays its part in the act of expression.

Here's an example in which the poet speaks at several levels. The speaker's perception shifts from the contemplation of the water-fall as part of the landscape, to the deeper contemplation of the human soul on its journey through earthly life and towards God:

The Waterfall by Henry Vaugan


'With what deep murmurs through time's silent stealth
Doth thy transparent, cool and wat'ry wealth
Here flowing fall,
And chide, and call,
As if his liquid, loose retinue stayed,
Ling'ring, and were of this steep place afraid,
The common pass
Where, clear as glass,
All must descend
Not to an end:
But quickened by this deep and rocky grave,
Rise to a longer course more bright and brave.

Dear stream! dear bank, where often I
Have sate, and pleased my pensive eye,
Why, since each drop of they quick store
Runs thither, whence it flowed before
Should poor souls fear a shade or night,
Who came (sure) from a sea of light?
Or since those drops are all sent back
So sure to thee, that none doth lack,
Why should frail flesh doubt any more
That what God takes, he'll not restore?
Oh useful element and clear!
My sacred wash and cleanser here,
My first consigner unto those
Fountains of life where the Lamb goes!
What sublime truths, and wholesome themes,
Lodge in they mystical, deep streams!
Such as dull man can never find
Unless that Spirit lead his mind,
Which first upon thy face did move,
And hatched all with his quick'ning love.
As this loud brook's incessant fall
In streaming rings restagnates all,
Which reach by course the bank, and then
Are no more seen, just so pass men.
O my invisible estate,
My glorious liberty, still late!
Thou art the channel my soul seeks,
Not this with cataracts and creeks.'


The poem is simply to show you what it can be like, and yours doesn't have to use shape, alliteration or personification (but it would be appreciated).


I WOULD LIKE YOU TO FUSE TWO URELATED ABSTRACT IDEAS AND VIVIDLY CONVEY THEM IN COLOURFUL AND ASTONISHING FIGURES OF SPEECH


Please use modern language, don't try to imitate the poem's language because I'd like yours to flow naturally.