The following selections were written by Edward Taylor, the most
important American poet of the Puritan period. He preached in a frontier
town of western Massachusetts and wrote poetry privately to express his
great love for God. Because his poems were so personal, he did not want
them published, and they remained in manuscript for more than 200 years.
Finally they were found in a dusty corner of the Yale University
Library.
In the following poem, Taylor imagines himself in heaven looking down on
his fellow New England Puritans, who are on their way to heaven in a
horse-drawn coach—Christ’s coach—which, of course, means figuratively
that they are going to heaven through believing in Christ. These New
England saints are singing at the top of their lungs, happy that they
are in Christ’s coach, but you will note that the harmony is not
perfect. Man is a sinful creature and sometimes, says Taylor, the
singers get out of tune. Also, he notes, there isn’t room in the coach
for everyone, and some have to walk.