{"product_id":"9781861716736","title":"A Great Ring of Pure and Endless Light: Selected Poems","description":"A Great Ring of Pure and Endless Light: Selected Poems\u003cp\u003eBy Henry Vaughan\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA cluster of the very best of Henry Vaughan's Metaphysical poems, which are filled with a 'deep, but dazzling darkness'. Lesser known Vaughan works, including some love poems, are collected here beside the famous pieces such as 'The Morning Watch', 'The World' and 'The Night'. \u003cbr\u003eHenry Vaughan is the Metaphysical poet from the Welsh borders (he was born at Newton-upon-Usk, Breconshire, in 1621). He went up to Oxford, studied law in London, wrote some astoundingreligious poetry, and died in 1695. \u003cbr\u003eThe dazzling night pervades Henry Vaughan's poetry. It is a cosmic night, a night of regeneration. Many of the Vaughan poems collected here pivot around an experience of the cosmic, religious night, from 'The World', with its famous, much-anthologized opening lines: 'I saw Eternity the other night | Like a great Ring of pure and endless light'. It is a night of rebirth, the night as a dark womb, in which the world is reborn. Cosmic rebirth is one of the major themes in Vaughan's poetry, and especially in his collection or series of sacred poems, Silex Scintillans. \u003cbr\u003eHenry Vaughan is one of the most radiant of British poets. Like other Metaphysical poets (poets such as George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell and John Donne), the deep darkness of the alchemical ferment in Vaughan's poetry is balanced by a radiance, a light shining out of the darkness. Itis a divine light, as found in the Mystical Theology of theinfluential Christian writer, Dionysius the Areopagite. Dionysius'Neoplatonic visions of divinity and the celestial hierarchies ofangels influenced Dante Alighieri, among many others poets. \u003cbr\u003eHenry Vaughan's poetry moves from dark to light, with the seeds of one being always present in the other. His nights, for all their darkness, also grow light. Vaughan's poetry is about big themes, cosmic themes, religious themes, with titles such as 'The World', 'Regeneration', 'Peace', and 'The Retreat'. Vaughan is not shy of big themes, as some poets are. He dives right in. His openings are particular powerful, striking up a majestic tone immediately: \u003cbr\u003eI saw Eternity the other night \u003cbr\u003eLike a great Ring of pure and endless light... ('The World') \u003cbr\u003eHappy those early days! when I Shined in my Angel-infancy. ('The Retreat') \u003cbr\u003e'My soul, there is a country \u003cbr\u003eFar beyond the stars... ('Peace') \u003cbr\u003eThey are all gone into the world of light! \u003cbr\u003eAnd I alone sit ling'ring here... (\"They are all gone\") \u003cbr\u003eThrough that pure Virgin-shine,\u003cbr\u003eThat sacred veil drawn o'er the glorious noon... ('The Night') \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRevised and updated text. Illustrated. www.crmoon.com\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Crescent Moon Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47062673293552,"sku":"9781861716736","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781861716736_p0.jpg?v=1763600965","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781861716736","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}