Lovest thou me—do you love me?
Answer with soul-lighted eyes!
Lovest thou me? speak only
As stars shine out of the skies.
Love is my life—do you love me?
Love as the earth loves the sun
When he flushes the face of the morning
And a beautiful day is begun?
Whisper the words of the answer—
Give me joys of which angels are blest,
If thou lovest me, lovest me truly,
In an ocean of music I rest.
Not the love of one for one other—
Not a love converging to one,
But that which gives light to Creation,
And radiates warmth like the sun.
Not a love that is clannish or selfish,
Living only for family or self,
Never looking up in sky-ocean,
But down in the earth for its pelf.
Not a love that would rob from another
To lay at the feet of its queen;
But a Christ-love, baptising Creation,
In the light of the Bethlehem scene.
