I think you're right in one sense, Ruth - In his Eighth Elegy he says
We, only, can see death; the free animal has its decline in back of it, forever, and God in front, and when it moves, its moves already in eternity, like a fountain.
There's such ennui for that original state in this piece from the Book of Hours -- O that we could live in the eternity off the moment ... Also, I think he's looking at an evolving God, from the Old Testament Eden-evicting judgmental God (perhaps of his own Catholic youth) to a softer, more human New Testamental deity, protector and shepherd. And perhaps that God would allow the human a mediated sense of futurity, blessing us with less of that knowledge of death - prophecies of our end we don't need. - Brendan
Is this a call to live in the moment? The regret of the past, and anxiety for the future are no place to live.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right in one sense, Ruth - In his Eighth Elegy he says
ReplyDeleteWe, only, can see death; the free animal
has its decline in back of it, forever,
and God in front, and when it moves, its moves
already in eternity, like a fountain.
There's such ennui for that original state in this piece from the Book of Hours -- O that we could live in the eternity off the moment ... Also, I think he's looking at an evolving God, from the Old Testament Eden-evicting judgmental God (perhaps of his own Catholic youth) to a softer, more human New Testamental deity, protector and shepherd. And perhaps that God would allow the human a mediated sense of futurity, blessing us with less of that knowledge of death - prophecies of our end we don't need. - Brendan