World-dust

 

Listen: they taught me to believe a lie,

They put the consciousness of sin within

My heart, and I believed that it was sin

And so destroyed my dedication; I

Shrunk down the dark and thought I should deny

Henceforth Your presence, break our bond of kin,

Swiftly unweave the quiet discipline

Which held us, each to each, in purity.

The shadow of my earth-love ever came

Between us; shame-clots on my limbs and stain

Of world-dust on my lips burnt sharp like flame,

And everywhere Your glory cut me through:

Sin-sapped I could not see beyond my pain

That the Earth and I, being yours, were as

pure as You.

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