This page is dedicated to those that came before me, and I hope to leave their stamp here, so that those that come after me can enjoy and reflect on their words. I have only picked a few poems to put up here, none of which is my work. You may recognize one, or one may inspire you to search out the author and read more of their work. I'm sure you will notice these are more to the spiritual or love side of writing, but I feel this is my space and I can spread a little love and warmth around, this world will be a better place for those I touch and who give to me in return.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I obviously do.
How prone we are to sin; how sweet were made
The pleasures our resistless hearts invade
Of all my crimes, the breach of all thy laws
Love, soft bewitching love, has been the cause.
Of all the paths that vanity has trod,
That sure will soonest be forgiven by God
If things on earth may be to heaven resembled
It must be love, pure, constant, undissembled
But if to sin by chance the charmer press,
Forgive, O Lord, forgive our trespasses.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle light
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,---I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death
It was many and many a year ago,
in a kingdom by the sea
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
by the name of Annabel Lee;--
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love--
I and my Annabel Lee--
With a love that the winged seraphs in Heaven
Coveted her and me.
And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsmen came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher,
In this kingdom by the sea.
The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,
Went envying her and me:--
Yes!-that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud, by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.
But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in Heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:-
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling,-my darling,-my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea-
In her tomb by the sounding sea.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
An enemy I had, whose mien
I stoutly strove in vain to know;
For hard he dogged my steps, unseen,
Wherever I might go.
My plans he balked; my aims he foiled;
He blocked my every onward way.
When for some lofty goal I toiled,
He grimly said me nay.
"Come forth!" I cried, "Lay bare thy guise!
Thy wretched features I would see."
Yet always to my straining eyes
He swelt in mystery.
Until one night I held him fast,
The veil from off his form did draw;
I gazed upon his face at last
And, lo! myself I saw.
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