Mine to the core of the heart, my beauty!
Mine, all mine, and for love, not duty:
Love given willingly, full and free,
Love for love’s sake, – as mine to thee.
Duty’s a slave that keeps the keys,
But Love, the master, goes in and out
Of his goodly chambers with song and shout,
Just as he please, – just as he please.
Mine, from the dear head’s crown, brown-golden,
To the silken foot that’s scarce beholden;
Give to a few friends hand or smile,
Like a generous lady, now and awhile,
But the sanctuary heart, that none dare win,
Keep holiest of holiest evermore;
The crowd in the aisles may watch the door,
The high-priest only enters in.
Mine, my own, without doubts or terrors,
With all thy goodnesses, all thy errors,
Unto me and to me alone revealed,
“A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”
Many may praise thee, – praise mine as thine,
Many may love thee, – I’ll love them too;
But thy heart of hearts, pure, faithful, and true,
Must be mine, mine wholly, and only mine.
Mine! – God, I thank Thee that Thou hast given
Something all mine on this side heaven:
Something as much myself to be
As this my soul which I lift to Thee:
Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone,
Life of my life, whom Thou dost make
Two to the world for the world’s work’s sake, –
But each unto each, as in Thy sight, one.
(Dinah Maria Mulock Craik)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, God Poems, Life Poems, World Poems, Heaven Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Beauty Poems, Smiling Poems, Spring Poems, Charity Poems, Praise PoemsBased on Keywords: high-priest, goodnesses