| Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917. |
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| 249. Restoration |
| By Arthur Edward Waite (b. 1860) |
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| I CAME into the world for love of Thee, | |
| I left Thee at Thy bidding; | |
| I put off my white robes and shining crown | |
| And came into this world for love of Thee. | |
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| I have lived in the grey light for love of Thee, | 5 |
| In mean and darken’d houses: | |
| The scarlet fruits of knowledge and of sin | |
| Have stain’d me with their juice for love of Thee. | |
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| I could not choose but sin for love of Thee, | |
| From Thee so sadly parted; | 10 |
| I could not choose but put away my sin | |
| And purge and scourge those stains for love of Thee. | |
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| My soul is sick with life for love of Thee, | |
| Nothing can ease or fill me: | |
| Restore me, past the frozen baths of death, | 15 |
| My crown and robes, desired for love of Thee: | |
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| And take me to Thyself for love of Thee; | |
| My loss or gain counts little, | |
| But Thou must need me since I need Thee so, | |
| Crying through day and night for love of Thee! | 20 |
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