Classic Poem

Me, Lord? Canst Thou misspend
One word, misplace one look on me?
Call'st me Thy love, Thy friend?
Can this poor soul the object be
Of these love-glances, those life-kindling eyes?
What? I the centre of Thy arms' embraces?
Of all Thy labour I the prize?
Love never mocks, truth never lies.
Oh, how I quake! Hope fear, fear hope displaces.
I would but cannot hope: such wondrous love
amazes.

See, I am black as night,
See, I am darkness: dark as hell.
Lord, Thou more fair than light:
Heaven's sun Thy shadow. Can suns dwell
With shades? 'twixt light and darkness what
commerce?
" True, thou art darkness, I thy light: My ray
Thy mists and hellish fogs shall pierce.
With Me, black soul, with Me converse.
I make the foul December flowery May:
Turn thou thy night to Me, I'll turn thy night to
day.

See, Lord, see I am dead,
Tombed in myself, myself my grave:
A drudge, so born, so bred —
Myself even to myself a slave.
Thou, Freedom, Life; can Life and Liberty
Love bondage, death? " Thy Freedom I, I tied
To loose thy bonds: be bound to Me.
My yoke shall ease, My bonds shall free.
Dead soul, thy spring of life My dying side:
There die, with Me to live: to live in thee I died.