Religion

The Altogether Lovely

by Mather Byles 1707–1788

From Poems on Several Occasions (1744)

Religion

OFT has thy Name employ'd my Muse,
Thou LORD of all above:
Oft has my Song to thee arose,
My Song, inspir;d by Love.

My Heart has oft confess'd in Flame,
And melted all away:
Thou art by Night my hourly Dream,
My hourly Thought by Day.

Each Feature o'er thee is a Charm,
And ev'ry Limb a Grace;
Divinely beauteous all thy Form,
Divinely fair thy face.

Thy Love to me how large! how full!
How kind are thy Commands!
Take, O my LOVE, take all my Soul
For ever in thy Hands.

Those bleeding Hands, which on the Cross
Were stretch'd for my Caress:
In the dear Thought my Life I loose—
Was ever Love like this!

Weep, weep my Eyes, let gushing Tears
Stream in an endless flow:
Love on his dying Lips he wears.
His Wounds Compassion show.

Now he remembers me, and speaks,
I hear his Voice; Forgive:
In the dead Pale that spreads his Cheeks;
Ten thousand Beauties live.

LORD, my Affections all are thine,
Warm'd with a grateful Fire;
And thou, O best BELOV'D, art mine,
My Hope, and my Desire.

Conspiring Love, conspiring Charms,
Confess thee all my Joy;
Come, heav'nly FAIR, come to my Arms,
And all my Pow'rs employ.

MLA

Byles, Mather. “The Altogether Lovely.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/byles/3/.

Chicago

Byles, Mather. “The Altogether Lovely.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/byles/3/.

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