Love's Gift - Steven Parris Ward

www.poemsofspward.com

Love's Gift.
by Steven Parris Ward taken from Love Sonnets and other poems (being poems based on the Beloved and the several virtues)

From the spring of love upwelling, channeled by compassion's heart,
Friendship may a fairer garden grow through tending virtue's art,
In this purer love transfigured, built with fair and noble grace,
Is a bond creative measured, which base passions ne'er displace.

As the bees enticed by rose' s folded petal stamen crown,
Nectar drink to mix for honey, stored to feed for winter bound,
So the bright attractions' pleasures, drawn by lovers do ensure,
That the sweet affections treasured, nurture love to make secure.

Let the lost be found in friendship, still repose, thereafter tend,
Love is but a disposition, borne by life until the end,
Stored in our genetic memories, which passed on shall death defeat,
Let us live by virtue's sanctions , so our minds in love be steeped.

From still depths of sweet remembrance past the poet's meditate,
Through transmuted willed arousal, strive the numen to create,
Thence confessed the inner meaning, of true love's significance,
By the nature of life's sorrows, joys, each aspect's redolence.

Born from one creative act a thousand tongues of passion peak,
Fill with joyous exaltations and majestic merge to speak,
May this act with the Beloved wake the inner voice replete,
Thence be born ecstatic union, till the lover's be complete.

Sex is but a fleeting pleasure, sensory, a brief delight,
Let it not become mere habit, but a sacred act to light,
Every secret of love's wonder that the heart desires be known;
As from this is born the wisdom to enact by virtues shown.

Let us down the generations hold to love as we create,
So the nature of that wisdom born within illuminates,
Keep each heart felt affirmation, recognize its sacred rite,
Pledge that we our children teach to honour , love and live aright.

Lovers shall recall the past and call the future theirs and live,
When they bring new life to bear, and with their offspring share and give,
Through their children love is passed in endless perpetuity,
And in loving they too live, in partial immortality.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Steven Parris Ward
• Poetry Literature Romanticism

[Poetryreview1]

We understand the "amate mea" alluded to in various contexts in this well crafted work, and in your other poems, represents a metaphysical concept of the "Beloved" as a universal. In other words unlike many other poetic conceptions, such as the Petrachean or Dantean the "Beloved" has no physical correspondence with an actual living female ,but signifies the essence of the Beautiful, which the physical female participates in, but yet crucially falls far short of in perfection and splendour.



[sylviakeegan]

Very talented poet. Beautifully written :)

[astroclaire]

I am not quite sure how to respond to this. The themes remind me of Rilke's "Letters", but the voice is quite different and has an originality of its own. I like the psychology of love and the way you contrast different themes. There are some universal themes here that make this feel enduring. I like it alot.Thanks!

[RhymeWirePoetry]

This is phenomenal!  I have made it one of my "favorites".

Warmly, your fellow poet, Lara.

[GAIASDREAMER]

Beautifully written. My heart is heavy and cries. It touched.