| Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917. |
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| 184. Communion |
| By Edward Dowden (1843–1913) |
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| LORD, I have knelt and tried to pray to-night, | |
| But Thy love came upon me like a sleep, | |
| And all desire died out; upon the deep | |
| Of Thy mere love I lay, each thought in light | |
| Dissolving like the sunset clouds, at rest | 5 |
| Each tremulous wish, and my strength weakness, sweet | |
| As a sick boy with soon o’erwearied feet | |
| Finds, yielding him unto his mother’s breast | |
| To weep for weakness there. I could not pray, | |
| But with closed eyes I felt Thy bosom’s love | 10 |
| Beating toward mine, and then I would not move | |
| Till of itself the joy should pass away; | |
| At last my heart found voice,—‘Take me, O Lord, | |
| And do with me according to Thy word.’ | |
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