51
“There is but one temple in the universe, and that is the body of man.”
Blessed is he whose body is a holy place, where God may dwell;
And not an empty whitewashed tomb, a heaven cloaking hell.
52-55
“This is the state of man, today he puts forth the tender leaves of hope;
Tomorrow blossoms and bears his blushing honours thick upon him;
Comes then blind fury with the abhorred shears and slits the thin spun life;
The third day comes a frost and nips his root and then he falls.”
Naked and helpless, we entered as we left this mortal life,
And in between we took what joy we could and bore the strife;
Yesterday, today, forever would all of us have passed away:
Then three days came and went which wrought an everlasting way.
56
“Too low they build who build beneath the stars.”
They say, “arise and reach unto the stars!” But even more I say,
“Reach beyond mere finitude, to that which gives to each its ray.”
57
“The web of life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”
The hardest lesson I’ve had to learn seems still a mystery:
That God can view the good and bad and love them equally.
58
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty.”
Beautiful poet of woe, like stars your works shall always blaze,
And make your darkest nights eclipse the brightest of our days.
Conclusion
And so I end these thoughts, and so let nothing more be said;
If they have any wisdom, may they thrive though I be dead.
