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Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.

By George Herbert (1593–1633)

Love

 
LOVE bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
            Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
            From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning        5
            If I lack’d anything.
 
“A guest,” I answer’d, “worthy to be here.”
            Love said, “You shall be he.”
“I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
            I cannot look on Thee.”        10
Love took my hand and, smiling, did reply,
            “Who made the eyes but I?”
 
“Truth, Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame
            Go where it doth deserve.”
“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?”        15
            “My dear, then I will serve.”
“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat”:
            So I did sit and eat.