THE LOVE OF GOD
He who can solemnly declare he feels the love of God,
Speaks in poetic sense, or else is freak or fraud;
For every lover who has loved, knows love must see and feel,
And only stirs man’s mind for the material and real.
He cannot love who would, or cease to love at will.
To some it goes to make a life, another it will kill.
’Twere folly to declare love for the great Unknown
Who sits unscrutable upon a great white throne.
Can’st add a known quantity to a sign, the sign being undefined,
And get results to understand for a mere human mind?
Go to, God-lovers, wake from dreams; talk reason, if you can,
And if you have great store of love, go love your fellow-man.
Man must have love to live, and dies for want of it in jail and haunt;
While priest and parson preach and pray with vain display and vaunt.