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Chapter 2 - Love |
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said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love." |
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| And he raised his head and looked upon the people,
and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a
great voice he said: When love beckons to you, follow
him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when
his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword
hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when
he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice
may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste
the garden. |
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| For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify
you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your
pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses
your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, So
shall he descend to your roots and shake them in
their clinging to the earth. Like sheaves of corn
he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make
you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you
are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred
fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's
sacred feast. |
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| All these things shall love do unto you that you
may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge
become a fragment of Life's heart. |
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| But if in your fear you would seek only love's
peace and love's pleasure, Then it is better for
you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of
love's threshing-floor, Into the seasonless world
where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears. |
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| Love gives naught but itself and takes naught
but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it
be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love. |
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| When you love you should not say, "God is in my
heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God." And
think not you can direct the course of love, for
love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. |
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| Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let
these be your desires: To melt and be like a running
brook that sings its melody to the night. To know
the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by
your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly
and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest
at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To
return home at eventide with gratitude; And then
to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart
and a song of praise upon your lips. |
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