O Charity, divinely wise, <br />Thou meek-ey'd Daughter of the skies <br />From the pure fountain of eternal light, <br />Where fair, immutable, and ever bright, <br />The beatific vision shines, <br />Where Angel with Archangel joins <br />In choral songs to sing his praise, <br />Parent of Life, Ancient of Days, <br />Who was ere Time existed, shall be <br />Thro' the wide round of vast Eternity, <br />O come, thy warm celestial beams impart, <br />Enlarge my feelings, and expand my heart! <br /> <br />Descend from radiant realms above, <br />Thou effluence of that boundless love <br />Whence joy and peace in streams unsully'd flow, <br />O deign to make thy lov'd abode below! <br />Tho' sweeter strains adorn'd my tongue <br />Than Saint conceiv'd or Seraph sung, <br />And tho' my glowing Fancy caught <br />Whatever Art or Nature taught, <br />Yet if this hard unfeeling heart of mine <br />Ne'er felt thy force, O Charity divine! <br />An empty shadow Science would be found: <br />My knowledge ignorance, my wit a sound! <br /> <br />Tho' my prophetic spirit knew <br />To bring futurity to view, <br />Without thy aid e'en this would nought avail, <br />For Tongues shall cease, and Prophecies shall fail. <br />Come then, thou sweet immortal guest, <br />Shed thy soft influence o'er my breast, <br />Bring with thee Faith, divinely bright, <br />And Hope, fair harbinger of light, <br />To clear each mist with their pervading ray, <br />To fit my soul for Heaven, and point the way; <br />There Perfect Happiness her sway maintains; <br />For there the God of peace for ever reigns.<br /><br />Hannah More<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ode-to-charity/
