WHY?

Lord, if I love Thee and Thou lovest me,

Why need I any more these toilsome days;

Why should I not run singing up Thy ways

Straight into heaven, to rest myself with Thee?

What need remains of death-pang yet to be,

If all my soul is quickened in Thy praise;

If all my heart loves Thee, what need the amaze,

Struggle and dimness of an agony?—

Bride whom I love, if thou too lovest Me,

Thou needs must choose My Likeness for thy dower:

So wilt thou toil in patience, and abide

Hungering and thirsting for that blessed hour

When I My Likeness shall behold in thee,

And thou therein shalt waken satisfied.

“LOVE IS STRONG AS DEATH.”

“I have not sought Thee, I have not found Thee,

I have not thirsted for Thee:

And now cold billows of death surround me,

Buffeting billows of death astound me,—

Wilt Thou look upon, wilt Thou see

Thy perishing me?”

“Yea, I have sought thee, yea, I have found thee,

Yea, I have thirsted for thee,

Yea, long ago with love's bands I bound thee:

Now the Everlasting Arms surround thee,—

Through death's darkness I look and see

And clasp thee to Me.”