Peace: A Poem by Henry Vaughan

A religious meditation that is sometimes used as a Church hymn

Henry Vaughan (1621–95) wrote poetry in the “metaphysical” tradition of John Donne and George Herbert, and declared himself to be a disciple of the latter. Some of his poems are indeed such close parallels to some of Herbert’s that the latter, had he still been alive, might have considered suing Vaughan for plagiarism! That said, Vaughan did have a distinctive poetic voice of his own, and some of his poems are remarkably well-wrought and expressive.

“Peace” is a short poem that was included in Henry Vaughan’s 1650 collection of religious poems entitled “Silex Scintillans” (“The Flaming Flint”). It runs as follows:

My soul, there is a country
Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged sentry
All skilful in the wars:
There above noise and danger
Sweet Peace sits crowned with smiles,
And One born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.
He is thy gracious friend
And — O my soul, awake! –
Did in pure love descend
To die here for thy sake.
If thou canst get but thither,
There grows the flower of Peace,
The Rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress, and thy ease.
Leave then thy foolish ranges
For none can thee secure,
But one who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy cure.