Nay, do not clasp thy hands, my sweet,
But clasp me, love, as I clasp thee,
And ’stead of hands—two hearts shall meet,
In prayer to heaven eternally.
But clasp me, love, as I clasp thee,
And ’stead of hands—two hearts shall meet,
In prayer to heaven eternally.
Be lip to lip, love, thine to mine,
That from one mouth our prayers may rise.
I’ll breath the words, dear, into thine,
Thy breath shall waft them to the skies.
That from one mouth our prayers may rise.
I’ll breath the words, dear, into thine,
Thy breath shall waft them to the skies.
And thus our mutual prayer shall rise,
The purest truest sacrifice.
For thus united seraphs raise,
Eternal prayer, eternal praise.
The purest truest sacrifice.
For thus united seraphs raise,
Eternal prayer, eternal praise.
XV
Fair, passing fair, my Lord, is all,
In love that’s o’er us beaming,
All lives for love and would dissolve
In love’s poetic dreaming.
Fair, passing fair, my Lord, is all,
In love that’s o’er us beaming,
All lives for love and would dissolve
In love’s poetic dreaming.
Yon cloudlet hastening o’er the skies,
Love’s messenger is wending,
The bird that’s dozing on the bough
Still dreams of love unending.
Love’s messenger is wending,
The bird that’s dozing on the bough
Still dreams of love unending.
Man here on earth, till death shall bow
His head—’tis love supplieth
The theme of all his joys and tears,
For love he lives and dieth.
His head—’tis love supplieth
The theme of all his joys and tears,
For love he lives and dieth.
Ay! heavenly angels when from harps
Of gold their songs are springing,
What could they sing of, being forbade
Love’s music for their singing.
Of gold their songs are springing,
What could they sing of, being forbade
Love’s music for their singing.
XVI
To Paradise God summoned me,
There to learn songs of heavenly might,
’Tis ill for man alone to be,
And God formed Eve for my delight.
To Paradise God summoned me,
There to learn songs of heavenly might,
’Tis ill for man alone to be,
And God formed Eve for my delight.
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