On Love

Then said Almitra, Speak to us ofLove.

And he raised his head and looked uponthe people, and there fell a stillnessupon them. And with a great voice hesaid:

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield tohim,

Though the sword hidden among hispinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe inhim,

Though his voice may shatter your dreamsas the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shallhe crucify you. Even as he is for yourgrowth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height andcaresses your tenderest branchesthat quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots andshake them in their clinging to theearth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you untohimself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from yourhusks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacredfire, that you may become sacred breadfor God’s sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto youthat you may know the secrets of yourheart, and in that knowledge become afragment of Life’s heart.

But if in your fear you would seek onlylove’s peace and love’s pleasure,

Then it is better for you that youcover your nakedness and pass out oflove’s threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where youshall laugh, but not all of yourlaughter, and weep, but not all of yourtears.

Love gives naught but itself and takesnaught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it bepossessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, “Godis in my heart,” but rather, “I am inthe heart of God.”

And think not you can direct the courseof love, for love, if it finds youworthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfilitself.

But if you love and must needs havedesires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook thatsings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understandingof love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart andgive thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditatelove’s ecstacy;

To return home at eventide withgratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer forthe beloved in your heart and a song ofpraise upon your lips.