Thou art not for the earth

Thou art not for the earth,
Or for the heaven alone;
The world is for thee,
Not thou for the world.

The mind and the heart
Are sparks in the flame of love;
One for a moment’s flash,
The other for—a blazing fire.

This garden of’ delight
Is not for thy delight;
Thou art here to yearn,
To seek a beatific vision.

Equipped for unfathomed seas,
Thy vessel should not
Confine itself to rivers,
And to familiar shores.

They were a beacon once
To the brightest stars of heaven,
But now they languish in darkness,
In search of a guide to lead them.

A lofty vision, gracious speech,
And a passionate soul—
These are the attributes
Of the leaders of all men.

My soul has a secret song,
A defiance to Gabriel—
A song I have preserved
For life in eternity.