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175
COR DULCE.
Through Umbria when the dear St. Francis went,
Preaching in many a hamlet, many a town—
Oh, sweet St. Francis in his faded gown;
His eyes on fire, his curved lips innocent!—
Often he fell to weeping bitterly,
With cries, and sobs, and tears uncomforted;
And still “O Love unloved!” made all his cry;
“O Love that goes unloved!” was all he said.
Preaching in many a hamlet, many a town—
Oh, sweet St. Francis in his faded gown;
His eyes on fire, his curved lips innocent!—
Often he fell to weeping bitterly,
With cries, and sobs, and tears uncomforted;
And still “O Love unloved!” made all his cry;
“O Love that goes unloved!” was all he said.
O Love unloved! I have a Lover true,
Whose love exceedeth all the loves that be;
O mine own Lover, yet unloved of me,
My Love who loved me in old years and new!
Waiting for me beneath the midnight skies,
With thorns, and blood, and death-dews on His head.
And pierced entreating hands, and yearning eyes:
Who loved me still when other loves were fled.
Whose love exceedeth all the loves that be;
O mine own Lover, yet unloved of me,
My Love who loved me in old years and new!
Waiting for me beneath the midnight skies,
With thorns, and blood, and death-dews on His head.
And pierced entreating hands, and yearning eyes:
Who loved me still when other loves were fled.
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If such a love were given to you, or you—
A love that sought you in the throes of death,
That thirsted for you with its dying breath,
Yea, held death sweet that was endured for you,
Embraced the Cross that broke it for your sake;—
I wonder would your recompense be this:
To give Him gall His dying thirst to slake,
To kiss Him, and betray Him with your kiss?
A love that sought you in the throes of death,
That thirsted for you with its dying breath,
Yea, held death sweet that was endured for you,
Embraced the Cross that broke it for your sake;—
I wonder would your recompense be this:
To give Him gall His dying thirst to slake,
To kiss Him, and betray Him with your kiss?
And I who was His chosen and His bride,
Sat at His feast, and drank the selfsame cup,
Dipped in the dish with Him when He did sup;
Then left Him and went out in the night-tide,
And so betrayed Him to His enemies—
Yea, and did smite Him who hath loved so well.
Say, friends, and how shall I atone for this,
And purge me from my guilt intolerable?
Sat at His feast, and drank the selfsame cup,
Dipped in the dish with Him when He did sup;
Then left Him and went out in the night-tide,
And so betrayed Him to His enemies—
Yea, and did smite Him who hath loved so well.
Say, friends, and how shall I atone for this,
And purge me from my guilt intolerable?
Ah me, ah me! I dare not lift mine eyes,
Who may again betray Him ere night goes;
Who may deny Him ere the shrill cock crows.
O happy thief who hath His paradise,
Why do I turn to thoughts of you to-day;
And meek St. Peter, who sinned heavily,
Yet washed with lifelong tears his guilt away;
Rather than all the sinless saints that be?
Who may again betray Him ere night goes;
Who may deny Him ere the shrill cock crows.
O happy thief who hath His paradise,
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And meek St. Peter, who sinned heavily,
Yet washed with lifelong tears his guilt away;
Rather than all the sinless saints that be?
O Love unloved, my Love that goes unloved!
For all your Passion's sake, your lonely grave,
For that unstinted wealth of love you gave;
O Love unloved, sweet Love that loves unloved!
Break me, a reed, or bind me who are strong,
And make me strong to suffer and resist,
And give me tears to weep, a whole life long,
The traitor's kiss wherewith your face was kissed!
For all your Passion's sake, your lonely grave,
For that unstinted wealth of love you gave;
O Love unloved, sweet Love that loves unloved!
Break me, a reed, or bind me who are strong,
And make me strong to suffer and resist,
And give me tears to weep, a whole life long,
The traitor's kiss wherewith your face was kissed!
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