Religion

Love is alone the worthy law of love

by Christina Rossetti 1830–1894

From Verses (1893)

Religion

Love is alone the worthy law of love:
All other laws have presupposed a taint:
Love is the law from kindled saint to saint,
From lamb to lamb, from dove to answering dove.
Love is the motive of all things that move
Harmonious by free will without constraint:
Love learns and teaches: love shall man acquaint
With all he lacks, which all his lack is love.
Because Love is the fountain, I discern
The stream as love: for what but love should flow
From fountain Love? not bitter from the sweet!
I ignorant, have I laid claim to know?
Oh, teach me, Love, such knowledge as is meet
For one to know who is fain to love and learn.

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Verses (1893), section: Some Feasts and Fasts / Quinquagesima.

MLA

Rossetti, Christina. “Love is alone the worthy law of love.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/660/.

Chicago

Rossetti, Christina. “Love is alone the worthy law of love.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/660/.

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