| Laurence C. Smith, Jr., PhD |
Now Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the
people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And
with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions
may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shelter your dreams as the
north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify
you. Even as he is for your growth so is he
for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your
height and caresses your tenderest branches
that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake
them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,
that you may become sacred bread for
God’s sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you
may know the secrets of your heart,
and in that knowledge become a fragment
of Life’s heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only
love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover
your nakedness and pass out of love’s
threshing floor,
Into the seasonless world where you
shall laugh, but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and
takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the
people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And
with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions
may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shelter your dreams as the
north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify
you. Even as he is for your growth so is he
for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your
height and caresses your tenderest branches
that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake
them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,
that you may become sacred bread for
God’s sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you
may know the secrets of your heart,
and in that knowledge become a fragment
of Life’s heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only
love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover
your nakedness and pass out of love’s
threshing floor,
Into the seasonless world where you
shall laugh, but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and
takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say,
“God is in my heart,” but rather,
“I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course
of love, for love, if it finds you worthy,
directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill
itself.
But if you love and must needs have
desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook
that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own
understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully,
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate
love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the
beloved in your heart and a song
of praise upon your lips.
— Kahlil Gibran
The Prophet
1923
“God is in my heart,” but rather,
“I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course
of love, for love, if it finds you worthy,
directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill
itself.
But if you love and must needs have
desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook
that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own
understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully,
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate
love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the
beloved in your heart and a song
of praise upon your lips.
— Kahlil Gibran
The Prophet
1923
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| Photo - Cedaredge 2005 |
| Copyright © 2005-2009 L.C.Smith, Jr., PhD |
| Laurence C. Smith, Jr., PhD |
Music: "Evergreen" performed by Barbra
Streisand
Streisand