"The Vanity of All Wordly Things"

"The Vanity of All Worldly Things"

by Anne Bradstreet

As he said vanity, so vain say I,

Oh! Vanity, O vain all under sky;

Where is the man can say, "Lo, I have found

On brittle earth a consolation sound"?

What isn't in honor to be set on high?

No, they like beasts and sons of men shall die,

And whilst they live, how oft doth turn their fate;

He's now a captive that was king of late.

What isn't in wealth great treasures to obtain?

No, that's but labor, anxious care, and pain.

He heaps up riches, and he heaps up sorrow,

It's his today, but who's his heir tomorrow?

What then? Content in pleasures canst thou find?

More vain than all, that's but to grasp the wind.

The sensual senses for a time they pleasure,

Meanwhile the conscience rage, who shall appease?

What isn't in beauty? No that's but a snare,

They're foul enough today, that once were fair.

What is't in flow'ring youth, or manly age?

The first is prone to vice, the last to rage.

Where is it then, in wisdom, learning, arts?

Sure if on earth, it must be in those parts;

Yet these the wisest man of men did find

But vanity, vexation of the mind.

And he that know the most doth still bemoan

He knows not all that here is to be known.

j

Reflection: Vanity is an ongoing evil in this world that afflicts everything. The youth of the age are are "prone to vice," while the older generation "to rage." Such is the world we live in today where sin reigns and evil remains. Life is only a reflection of our own desires and values, exposing our true nature as we roll through this world with no regard for anything but ourselves.

k

Journal Entry: I am revolted by the sin I see around me. The vanity that everyone and everything exibits in their neverending quest to be the best. It it the source of all evil in this world, the self importance of people and their belief that they deserve more than everyone else; that they are better than everyone else. I do not understand it because in their quest they are never satisfied and thus they never truly achieve happiness because they are not able to accept themselves as they are but always have to be more.