Love's Quickening

The Love from barren Chaos drew the skies,
Piercing its womb that hid the light of day,
Beneath primeval earth's and water's sway
The shapeless Heavens lay whelmed, in dark disguise.

Even so my sluggish soul, too dull to rise,
Within this body's gross and heavy clay
Without or form or feature shapeless lay
Until Love's arrow pierced it from your eyes.

Love brought me life and power and truth and light,
Made pure my inmost heart through his control,
And shaped my being to a perfect whole.

He warms my veins, he lights my thought, his flight
Snatches me upward, till in Heaven's height
I find the ordered pathway of my soul.