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Thomas Traherne – Shadows in the Water

Thus did I by the water’s brink
Another world beneath me think
And while the lofty spacious skies
Reversed there abused mine eyes
I fancied other feet
Came mine to touch and meet;
As by some puddle I did play
Another world within it lay.

Beneath the water people drowned
Yet with another heaven crowned
In spacious regions seemed to go
Freely moving to and fro
In bright and open space
I saw their very face
Eyes, hands and feet they had like mine
Another sun did with them  shine

‘Twas strange that people there should walk
And yet I could not hear them talk
That through a little watery chink
Which one dry ox or horse might drink
We other worlds should see
Yet not admitted be
And other confines there behold
Of light and darkness, heat and cold

I called them oft, but called in vain
No speeches we could entertain
Yet did I there expect to find
Some other world, to please my mind
I plainly saw by these
A new antipodes
Whom, though they were so plainly seen
A film kept off that stood between

By walking Men’s reversed Feet
I chanc’d another world to meet
Tho’ it did not to view exceed
A Phantom, ‘tis a world indeed
Where Skies beneath us shine
And Earth by Art Divine
Another face presents below
Where People’s feet against Ours go