Were I a Rose.

Were I a rose my darling for you alone I’d breathe,

I’d sacrifice my petals to make for you a wreath,

My every bud would bloom your life to decorate,

Thy out and inward gloom fore’er to extricate.

Were I a brook my darling my ever yearning flow,

My wayward running always toward your heart would go,

The music in my murmur would be just for your ear,

The babbling of my beating would to ease your care,

Were I a bird my baby into your arms I’d fly,

Thy refuge sure would hide me from all the surges high,

I’d twitter to your pleasure I’d be your timeless pet,

Knowing that in thy bosom the best care I would get.

Were I perchance a star I’d shine for thee so bright,

dappling thy darkness I’d illuminate thy night,

I’d shed my beams from heaven thine eyes alone to see,

I’d leave my constellation to take my place with thee.

But I am just a human, a man in love with you,

And many things I dream of yet I find I can not do,

The rose, the brook, the bird, the star I will never be,

So as a simple human my love is what I offer thee.

Be Thou My Valentine

Hark my love the worlds forsake,

And let my love within you wake,

That flame that would now overtake,

Thine heart and soul and then to make,

My life by yours enriched divine,

If thou wouldst be my valentine.

I sit a rueful soul and weak,

Thy love to woo; thy life to seek,

A smile from thee with eyes so meek

Would luminate a life so bleak,

And thou wouldst ease this heart of mine,

If thou wouldst be my valentine.

For years I combed the garden’s grove,

Just watching you and could not move,

But finding thee my pleasant dove,

Only in dreams of phantom love,

But I in hopes would now recline,

If thou wouldst be my valentine.

I sent my songs on the Summer’s breeze,

My Cupid Romeo zeal to ease,

To see if they perchance would tease,

Thy love to look my way and please,

I’d count it as a happy sign,

If thou wouldst be my valentine.

I traveled east and I traveled west,

And every perfumed garden test,

To satisfy that innate quest,

But you alone my eyes arrest,

Yet I those worlds would now resign,

If thou wouldst be my valentine.

Have Not Loved in Vain

If I by love with beauty yet now this world adorn,

If from that love I shared with you a child is born

If I by love some  pleasure did to a maiden bring

If I by love saved a child from doing an evil thing

Detouring angry villains from doing that which is vile

If by my love the heathen did of his savior learn,

If even once I was happy as happy as can be

Then even if this moment that love I no more see

Though through the years of toiling that love had caused me pain

Still yet I’ve lived for good and have not loved in vain.