by Coleridge · Cluster: Mortality · Grave · Memento Mori
Abstract
Philosophical riddle-poem questioning the nature of life as a war-embrace of life and death and of consciousness. Metaphysical meditation on existence and mortality.
Connections
Motifs: Light and Dark Themes & Concepts: Mortality, Self-Knowledge, Transience, Doubt Forms & Genres: Epigram
Testo integrale / Full text
Resembles life what once was deem’d of light,
Too ample in itself for human sight?
An absolute self — an element ungrounded —
All that we see, all colours of all shade
By encroach of darkness made? — 5
Is very life by consciousness unbounded?
And all the thoughts, pains, joys of mortal breath,
A war-embrace of wrestling life and death?
1805.