Classic Poem

My Lord, my Love! in pleasant pain
How often have I said:
Blessed that John, who on Thy Breast
Laid down his head.
It was that contact all Divine
Transformed him from above,
And made him amongst men the man
To show forth holy love.

Yet shall I envy blessed John?
Nay, not so verily,
Now that Thou, Lord, both Man & God
Dost dwell in me:
Upbuilding with Thy Manhood's might
My frail humanity;
Yea, Thy Divinehood pouring forth
In fulness filling me.

Me, Lord, Thy temple consecrate,
Even me to Thee alone;
Lord reign upon my willing heart
Which is Thy throne:
To Thee the Seraphim fall down
Adoring round Thy house;
For which of them hath tasted Thee,
My Manna & my Spouse?

Now that Thy Life lives in my soul
And sways & warms it thro',
I scarce seem lesser than the world,
Thy temple too.
O God Who dwellest in my heart,
My God Who fillest me,
The broad immensity itself
Hath not encompassed Thee.

" T'amo; e fra dolci affanni " — . p. 121. —

My Lord, my Love! — in love's unrest
How often have I said:
" Blessed that John who on Thy Breast
Reclined his head. "
Thy touch it was, Love's Pelican,
Transformed him from above,
And made him amongst men the man
To show forth holy love!

Yet shall I envy blessed John?
Nay, not so verily,
While Thou indwellest as Thine own
Me, even me:
Upbuilding with Thy Manhood's worth
My frail humanity;
Yea, Thy Divinehood pouring forth,
In fulness filling me.

Me, Lord, Thy temple consecrate,
Me unto Thee alone;
Within my heart set up Thy state
And mount Thy throne:
The Seraphim in ecstasy
Fall prone around Thy house,
For which of them hath tasted Thee
My Manna and my Spouse?

Now Thou dost wear me for a robe
And sway and warm me thro',
I scarce seem lesser than the globe, —
Thy temple too:
O God Who for Thy dwelling place
Dost take delight in me,
The ungirt immensity of space
Hath not encompassed Thee