Persuading her to resolution in religion, and
Render herself without further delay into the Communion of the Catholic
What Heaven-entreated heart is this,
Stands trembling at the gate of bliss?
Holds fast the door, yet dares not
Fairly to open it, and enter;
Whose definition is a doubt'Twixt life and death, 'twixt in and out.
Say, lingering fair, why comes the
Of your brave soul so slowly forth?
Plead your pretenses,
O you
In weakness, why you choose so
In labor of yourself to lie,
Not daring quite to live nor die.
Ah, linger not, loved soul!
A
And late consent was a long no;
Who grants at last, long time
And did his best to have denied.
What magic bolts, what mystic
Maintain the will in these strange wars!
What fatal, yet fantastic
Keep the free heart from its own hands!
So when the year takes cold we
Poor waters their own prisoners be;
Fettered and locked up fast they
In a sad self-captivity.
The astonished nymphs their flood's strange fate deplore,
To see themselves their own severer shore.
Thou that alone canst thaw this cold,
And fetch the heart from its stronghold,
Almighty Love! end this long war,
And of a meteor make a star.
Oh, fix this fair indefinite,
And 'mongst Thy shafts of sovereign
Choose out that sure decisive
Which has the key of this close heart,
Knows all the corners of 't, and can control The self-shut cabinet of an unsearched soul.
Oh, let it be at last Love's hour;
Raise this tall trophy of Thy power;
Come once the conquering way, not to
But kill this rebel-word, "irresolute,"That so, in spite of all this peevish
Of weakness, she may write, "Resolved at length."Unfold at length, unfold, fair flower,
And use the season of Love's shower;
Meet His well-meaning wounds, wise heart!
And haste to drink the wholesome dart,
That healing shaft, which Heaven till
Hath in Love's quiver hid for you.
O dart of Love! arrow of light!
O happy you, if it hit right!
It must not fall in vain, it
Not mark the dry regardless dust.
Fair one, it is your fate, and
Eternal worlds upon its wings.
Meet it with wide-spread arms, and
Its seat your soul's just center be.
Disband dull fears, give faith the day;
To save your life, kill your delay.
It is Love's siege, and sure to
Your triumph, through His victory.'Tis cowardice that keeps this field,
And want of courage not to yield.
Yield then,
O yield, that Love may
The fort at last, and let life in;
Yield quickly, lest perhaps you
Death's prey, before the prize of Love.
This fort of your fair self, if't be not won,
He is repulsed indeed, but you're undone.
From - Carmen Deo Nostro.
