What Is Life?

Resembles Life what once was held 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 ?
Is very life by consciousness unbounded ?
And all the thoughts, pains, joys of mortal breath,
A war-embrace of wrestling Life and Death ?

Coleridge