 | Orchids |  |
I
Ave Maris Stella
Star of the chaste inviolable sea,
I set my heart and lips to sing to thee.
Out of the cavern of my sin and pain
My soul turns toward thee, star, my star, again.
O sweet as comes the cool first wind of dawn
Across grey sea and shadowy cliffside lawn,
O sweet as breaks the faint first gleam of light
On eyelids watching with the weary night,
The memory of thy presence comes to bless
My soul bowed down with infinite weariness,
Chaste star, sweet star, star perfect and divine,
Too far from me not to be wholly mine,
Too near to me not to be very far,
My lamp, my love, my muse, my song, my star!
| Orchids | |