Poetry

 

The Key To Love by Anon 1^st century China

 The key to love is understanding…

The ability to comprehend not only the spoken word, but those unspoken gestures

The little things that say so much by themselves.

 

The key to love is forgiveness…

To accept each others faults and pardon mistakes

Without forgetting, but with remembering what you learn from them.

The key to love is sharing… Facing your good fortunes as well as the bad, together

Both conquering problems, forever searching for ways To intensify your happiness.

 

The key to love is giving…Without thought of return

But with the hope of just a simple smile and by giving in but never giving up.

 

The key to love is respect…

Realizing that you are two separate people, with different ideas.

That you don’t belong to each other -That you belong with each other,

and share a mutual bond.

 

The key to love is inside us all…

It takes time and patience to unlock all the ingredients

That will take you to its threshold

It is the continual learning process that demands a lot of work…

yet the rewards are more than worth the effort…

And that is the key to love.

 

 ‘This is why I love you’

For the kindness in your eyes and the warmth in your voice

For the honesty of your words and the silence of your smile

For the ways in which we’re similar and those in which we’re worlds apart..

I love you…for the openness of your understanding

For the tenderness of your touch and strength of your commitment

For your sense of humour and your seriousness of purpose

For a thousand small reasons and one most important of all

Simply because you are you

In all of creation you are the one whom I cherish most

The one with whom I choose to share my life

Its joys, its sorrows, its accomplishments, its challenges

While building our dreams together and growing every day in the love that makes us one.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’  by Louis de Bernieres

 Love is a temporary madness;
It erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.
And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together

that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
Because this is what love is.

Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement,
it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.
That is just being in love, which any fool can do.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

.”Marriage is …..”
by Anon, 1st century China

” Marriage is a dynamic process of discovery
Marriage is a journey, not an arrival.
In marriage, being the right person is as important
as finding the right person.
Marriage is starting to love, over and over again.
Marriage is a life’s work.
Marriage is an art… and like any creative process,
It requires active thought and effort.
We have to learn how to share on many different levels.
We need to practice talking from the heart,
And understanding attitudes as well as words.
Giving generously and receiving graciously
are talents that are available to anyone.
But all these skills need to be developed,
if the marriage picture that we paint is to be anything
approaching the masterpiece intended.

 AUTHOR UNKNOWN

True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands,
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.

 .”Love”
Author Unknown

Love is a friendship that has caught fire.
It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving.
It is loyalty through good and bad.
It settles for less than perfection,
and makes allowances for human weakness.
Love is content with the present.
It hopes for the future and it doesn’t brood over the past.
It’s the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small
disappointments, big victories,
and working toward common goals.
If you have love in your life,
it can make up for a great many things you lack.
If you don’t have it, no matter what else there is,
it is not enough, so search for it and share it!

The greatest love I had ever felt’ by Anon

I ran for miles under the peppered burning sun.

To the far ends of the earth I journeyed in search of a wood dragon.

I came to a tiny trail of twinkling stars,

And found hope in an enchanted garden of fireflies

It was here I stole a kiss.

Time stops.

I capture my breath, for inside I am dancing as the world sits and waits.

The One’

When the one whose hand you’re holding Is the one who holds your heart

When the one whose eyes you gaze into gives your hopes and dreams their start,

When the one you think of first and last is the one who holds you tight,

And the things you plan together make the whole world seem just right,

When the one in whom you believe in puts their faith and trust in you,

You’ve found the one and only love you’ll share your whole life through

Transforming power by Lau Tzu

Your love contains the power of a thousand suns

It unfolds as naturally and effortlessly as does a flower,

And graces the world with its blooming

Its beauty radiates a transforming energy that enlivens all who see it

Because of you, compassion and joy are added to the world

This why the stars sing because of your love

Tao Te Ching

Your love is from life’s great mystery
It lies beneath a great quiet lake…
It is like the deep truth of a dark well.
Your love is purity and coolness…
You have no need to make waves in the water
You have no need to dig another well
You only have need to watch yourself with clarity
And drink deeply from your love.  

 Love

Love puts the music in laughter

The beauty in song

The warmth in a shoulder

The gentle in strong

Love puts the magic in memories

The sunshine in skies

The goodness in giving

The starlight in eyes

Love puts the fun in together

The sad in apart

The hope in tomorrow

The joy in the heart.

            TAO TE CHING

From this day forward,
You shall not walk alone.
My heart will be your shelter,
And my arms will be your home.

Adapted from Nanci Brillant

Once in a lifetime
You find someone
Who touches not only your heart,
But also your soul.

You discover someone
Who stands beside you, but not over you.
You find someone
Who loves you for who you are,
And not for whom you could be.

Once in a lifetime,
If you are lucky
You find someone…
As you have found each other.

Marriage

Marriage is about giving and taking
And forging and forsaking
Kissing and loving and pushing and shoving

Caring and sharing and screaming and swearing
About being together whatever the weather
About being driven to the end of your tether
About sweetness and kindness
And wisdom and blindness

It’s about being strong when you’re feeling quite weak
It’s about saying nothing when you’re dying to speak
It’s about being wrong when you know you are right
It’s about giving in, before there’s a fight
It’s about you two living as cheaply as one
(you can give us a call if you know how that’s done!)

Never heeding advice that was always well meant
Never counting the cost until it’s all spent
And for you two today it’s about to begin
And for all that the two of you had to put in
Some days filled with joy, and some days with sadness
All to discover that marriage is a wonderful madness.

Somewhere” by Sir Edwin Arnold

Somewhere there waiteth in this world of ours
for one lone soul, another lonely soul –
Each chasing each through all the weary hours,
And meeting strangely at one sudden goal;
Then blend they – like green leaves with golden flowers,
Into one beautiful and perfect whole –
And life’s long night is ended, and the way
Lies open onward to eternal day.

 

The poet Kahlil Gibran from the book “The Prophet on Marriage”.                                            

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.    

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.      

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

  

Transforming power by Lau Tzu

Your love contains the power of a thousand suns

It unfolds as naturally and effortlessly as does a flower,

And graces the world with its blooming

Its beauty radiates a transforming energy that enlivens all who see it

Because of you, compassion and joy are added to the world

This why the stars sing because of your love

 

“I Will Be Here”
by Steven Curtis Chapman

“If in the morning when you wake,
If the sun does not appear,
I will be here.
If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand and have no fear,
I will be here.

I will be here,
When you feel like being quiet,
When you need to speak your mind I will listen.
Through the winning, losing, and trying we’ll be together,
And I will be here.
If in the morning when you wake,
If the future is unclear,
I will be here.
As sure as seasons were made for change,
Our lifetimes were made for years,
I will be here.

I will be here,
And you can cry on my shoulder,
When the mirror tells us we’re older.
I will hold you, to watch you grow in beauty,
And tell you all the things you are to me.
We’ll be together and I will be here.
I will be true to the promises I’ve made,
To you and to the one who gave you to me.
I will be here.”

 

Dorothy R. Colgan

I promise to give you the best of myself
and to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to respect you as your own person
and to realize that your interests, desires and needs
are no less important than my own.

I promise to share with you my time and my attention
and to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship.

I promise to keep myself open to you,
to let you see through the window of my world into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you,
to be willing to face changes in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.

I promise to love you in good times and bad,
with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how. Completely and forever.

 

The Promises of Marriage”
by Bettie Meeks

“Marriage is a promise of companionship,
Of having someone to share
All of life’s experiences.

Marriage does not promise that there will
Not be any rough times,
Just the assurance that there will
Always be someone
Who cares and will help you through
To better times.

Marriage does not promise eternal romance,
Just eternal love and commitment.
Marriage cannot prevent disappointments,
Disillusionment, or grief,
But it can offer hope, acceptance,
And comfort.

Marriage can’t protect you from making
Individual choices
Or shelter you from the world,
But it will help to reassure you
That there is some by your side
Who truly cares,
When the world hurts you
And makes you feel vulnerable,
Marriage offers the promise that there will
Be someone waiting to listen,
To console, to inspire.

Marriage is the joining of two people
Who share the promise
That only marriage can make …
To share the sunshine and the shadows,
And to experience a richer, more fulfilling life
Because of it.”

Marriage is a commitment to life

Marriage is a commitment to life, the best that two people can find and bring out in each other.

It offers opportunities for sharing and growth
that no other relationship can equal.

It is a physical and an emotional joining
that is promised for a lifetime.

Within the circle of its love,
marriage encompasses all of life’s most important relationships.

A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend,
confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and critic.

And there may come times when one partner is heartbroken or ailing,

and the love of the other may resemble the tender caring of a parent or child.

Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life.
Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher,
commitment is stronger, even anger is felt more strongly,
and passes away more quickly.

Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes
life is unable to avoid.

It encourages and nurtures new life,
new experiences,
new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life.

When two people pledge
their love and care for each other in marriage,
they create a spirit unique unto themselves
which binds them closer than any spoken or written words.

Marriage is a promise,
a potential made in the hearts of two people
who love each other
and takes a lifetime to fulfill.

Edmund O’Neill

.”The Art of a Good Marriage “
by Wilferd Arlan Peterson

“The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.

It is never taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is doing things for each other,
not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo
or the wife to have wings of an angel.

It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience,
understanding and a sense of humor.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner,
it is being the right partner.”

 DH Lawrence

And man and woman are like the earth, that brings forth flowers,

In Summer, and love, but underneath is rock.

Older than flowers, older than ferns, old than foramaniferae

Older than plasm altogether is the soul of man underneath

And when, throughout all the wild orgasms of love

Slowly a gem forms, in the ancient, one-more-molten rocks

Of two human hearts, two ancient rocks, a man’s heart and a women’s

That is the crystal of peace, the slow hard jewel of trust,

The gem of mutual peace emerging from the wild chaos of love

 The Bargain by Sir Philip Sidney

My true love hath my heart, an I have his,

By just exchange one for another given:

I hold his dear, and min he cannot miss,

There never was a better bargain driven:

His heart in me keeps him and me in one,

My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:

He loves my heart, for once it was his own

I cherish his, because in me it bides:

My true love hath my heart, and I have his

 

Today

Today I marry my friend: The one I have laughed with and cried with

The one I have learned from and shared with,

The one I have chosen to support,

Encourage and give myself to, through all the days,

Given to us to share,

Today I marry the one I love

 

Always love Each Other” by Larry Schengges

More beautiful than roses
Much deeper than the seas
Stronger than a hurricane
But timid like a breeze

Real as in a picture
But yet it can’t be seen
More beautiful than anything
As vivid as a dream

Precious as rare jewels
A bond between two hearts
A symphony of feelings
When time is spent apart

Sharing common interests
Working through all fears
Looking at yourself
As if two were in the mirror

Finding common ground
On issues not agreed
Giving into arguments
Tending all your needs

Being there for always
Is all you want to do
Holding on forever
Because your love is true

 His Hello’ by Candace Bushnall

His hello was the end of her endings
Her laugh was their first step down the aisle
His hand would be hers to hold forever
His forever was as simple as her smile
He said she was what was missing
She said she instantly knew
She was a question to be answered
And his answer was I do

Today

Today is a day you will always remember
The greatest in anyone’s life
You’ll start off the day just two people in love
And end it as Husband and Wife

It’s a brand new beginning the start of a journey
With moments to cherish and treasure
And although there’ll be time when you both disagree
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure

You’ll have heard many words of advice in the past
When the secrets of marriage were spoken
But you know that the answers lie hidden inside, where the bond of true love lies unbroken

So live happy forever as lovers and friends
It’s the dawn of a new life for you
As you stand there together with love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper ‘I do’

And with luck, all your hopes, and your dreams can be real
May success find its way to your hearts
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys
But today is the day it all starts.

True Love    Author Unknown

True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.

  Your Warmth by Nanushka

Your warmth can melt the brittle shell around my heart – then deep inside, a tiny pulse becomes the sound of drums – I feel my soul reach out to meet your own –  and you and I become a symphony of Love

Friendship” , by Judy Bielicki

 It is often said that it is love that makes the world go round. However, without doubt, it is friendship which keeps our spinning existence on an even keel. True friendship provides so many of the essentials for a happy life-it is the foundation on which to build an enduring relationship, it is the mortar which bonds us together in harmony, and it is the calm, warm protection we sometimes need when the world outside seems cold and chaotic. True friendship holds a mirror to our foibles and failings, without destroying our sense of worthiness. True friendship nurtures our hopes, supports us in our disappointments, and encourages us to grow to our best potential. (Bride) and (Groom) came together as friends. Today, they pledge to each other not only their love, but also the strength, warmth and, most importantly, the fun of true friendship.

 

Regina Hill– When two people

When two people join together and bond their lives forever
because they are certain they have something special
that will make their commitment last…
this is the first act of faith. Upon this act of faith these two people will build a life.
and as long as their determination stays with them
this life will always be their hope, their dreams, their truth, their being, their inspiration,
and their source of strength.
Through their life together, they will hurt and laugh.
Together they will feel all of life’s up and downs.
They will learn and grow through trial and error.
The lessons will show them the meaning of true love
And the difference between a love that lasts
and one that just gives up.
These two people will face each failure together and
discover the strength to go on.
They will encourage each other’s dreams and forgive each other’s faults. Through a labour of love.
these two will become as one, fighting against the odds and ultimately creatinga commitment that will grow into an infinite love.

Should I Fall Behind – ?”by Bruce Springsteen

 We said we’d walk together come what may.

That come the twilight should we lose our way

If as we’re walking a hand should slip free

I will wait for you

And should I fall behind, wait for me.

 

We swore we’d travel darling side by side.

We’d help each other stay in stride.

But each lover’s steps fall so differently

But I will wait for you

And should I fall behind, wait for me.

 

Now everyone dreams of a love lasting and true

But you and I know what this world can do.

So let’s make our steps clear that the other may see

I will wait for you

And should I fall behind, wait for me.

 

There’s a beautiful river in the valley ahead.

There ‘neath the oak’s bough soon we will wed.

Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees,

I will wait for you

And should I fall behind, wait for me.

I will wait for you and should I fall behind, wait for me.

 

Seven Blessings for Your Marriage’

 May you be blessed with love.  May your admiration, appreciation and understanding of each other foster a love that is passionate, tranquil and real.  May this love between you be strong and enduring, and bring a deep and abiding peace into your lives.

May you be blessed with wisdom.  May you continually learn from one another and from the world.  Together, may you grow, deepening your knowledge and understanding of each other and of your journey through life.

May you be blessed with community.  May you always be blessed with the awareness that you are an essential part of a circle of family and friends.  May there always be within this group love, trust, support and laughter, and may there be many future occasions for rejoicing in their company.

May you be blessed with art and beauty.  May your creative aspirations and experiences find expression, inspire you, and bring you joy and fulfillment.  May you find happiness together in adventures big and small, and something to celebrate each day of your lives.

May you be blessed with health.  May life bring you wholeness of mind, body and spirit.  May you keep each other well-balanced and grounded, and live long that you may share many happy years together.

May you be blessed with the experience of nature.  May nature and her magnificence continue to inspire you and bring you a sense of transcendence.  May the elements of earth, air, fire and water sustain you and heal you.

May you be best friends and work together to build a relationship of substance and quality.  May your sense of humor and playful spirit continue to enliven your relationship.  May you respect each other’s individual personality and philosophy and give each other room to grow and fulfill each other’s dreams.

A tapestry of love

 Just as two very different threads woven in opposite directions can form a beautiful tapestry, so can your two lives merge together to form a beautiful marriage.
To make your marriage work will take love.
Love should be the core of your marriage;
love is the reason you are here.
But it will also take trust – to know in your hearts
you want the best for each other.
It will take dedication – to stay open to one another;
to learn and to grow together even when this is not so easy to do.
It will take faith – to always be willing to go forward to tomorrow, never really knowing what tomorrow will bring.
And it will take commitment – to hold true to a journey you both now will share together.

Nicholas Gordon ‘ All my happiness goes out to you 

All my happiness goes out to you: Pride and pleasure, joy, sweet tears, and love!

Reason, hope, and faith together move in harmony to bless all that you do.Let this beginning be the golden dawn. At which all dew-drenched nature sings its glory! Nor should the darkness shrouding every story. Dim the blue-eyed beauty of this morn.More of life will come than you can hold:A flood no mortal witness can withstand. Rest, then, within a quiet, gentle hand, Knowing where love is as you grow old. 

..Love me (comedy)

Love me when I’m old and shocking
Peel off my elastic stockings
Swing me from the chandeliers
Let’s be randy bad old dears.

Plump the cushions on my chair
Let me tease your ranga chest hair
Scaring children, swapping dentures
Let us have some great adventures

Take me out on lavish dates

Or send me off to meet my mates
Fillet my fish and bring me tea
Show me how it’s meant to be

Take me out to rugby games
Let’s go watch the Hurricanes

You in shorts and socks and sandals
Me with wrinkles and love-handles

Keep the coffee hot and the beer cold

And say I look pretty even when I’m old

Make me laugh without constraint
Buy me chocolate body paint

Hold me safe throughout the night
When my hair has turned to white
Believe me when I say it’s true
I’ve waited all my life for you.

 

Oh, the Places you’ll Go!~ by Dr Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

 

 With you in my heart

With you in my heart, my life is complete.

You’re the air that I breathe, I have the world at my feet.

You’re my soul mate, your the beat in my heart.

It feels like a year, every second we’re apart.

 

With you in my heart I’m walking on air,

I imagine your perfume and the touch of your hair.

Your piercing  eyes, so kind and so green,

Your the most beautiful woman, I ever have seen.

 

With you in my heart, Im a man full of pride,

I know I can achieve anything with you by my side.

You’re my rock, you’re my angel, my one true love,

You’re my present from heaven, my gift from above.

 

With you in my heart, I love you so much,

How caring you are, my soul you have touched.

You’re my beautiful princess, and I hope that you know,

My love for you, continues to grow.

 

With you in my heart, it really makes my day,

With the things that you do and the things that you say.

I could never love anyone the way I love you,

And I hope that you feel the same way I do.

 

With you in my heart, through the good and the bad,

I’ll be there when you need me, when you’re hurting or sad.

I’ll be there for you any night, any day,

Whenever you need me, you just have to say.

 

With you in my heart, I hope it feels good?

And that I am caring for you the way that I should.

I’ll always be happy, for the love that you give,

I will protect you and love you for as long as I live.

 

Two Birds

Two birds begin a journey long,

From different points in far off lands;

With a luring urge- in heart a song,

Two novices heed life’s commands.

As they make their great migration,

Their feeble feet turn to taloned hands;

And the two reach their destination

As seasoned travelers in the northern lands

Still unaware that the other lives,

Each alights upon the very same tree;

And there the two, as if guided by God,

Fall madly in love and marry.

Thus so it is with Groom and Bride

Two birds which Heaven’s winds did blow

To this blessed rendezvous of life,

Like the two birds at Capistran

 

A wise old mother is Nature

A wise old mother is nature

She guideth her children’s feet

In many a flowery pathway;

And her strong life currents beat,

Sometimes in intricate channels

As a mountain stream may run

But ever her purpose triumphs,

And ever the goal is won.

Her eyes are the eyes of Argus,

And she utters her decree:

The brook shall come to the river,

And the river shall reach the sea…….

.But whatsoever we name it

Be it Destiny, or Fate

It leads the prince to his kingdom,

The king to his palace gate;

The lover shall taste the kisses

That grow on the maiden’s lips;

And safe, in the land-locked harbour,

Shall be moored the wand’ring ships;

And the soul shall gain its heaven

Where the white-robed angels be

And the brook shall blend with the river

And the river shall wed the sea.

 

Apache Wedding Prayer

Now you will feel no rain

For each will be shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold

For you will be warmth to the other,

Now you are two persons

But there is only one life before you

Go now to your dwelling

To enter into days of your life together

And may your days be good

And long upon the earth.

 

Kahlil Gibran called Love one another

Love one another, but make not a bond of love
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread, but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous,
but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone
though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping;
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too near together;
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

 

A native American blessing

May the sun bring you new happiness by day;
May the moon softly restore you by night;
May the rain wash away your worries
And the breeze blow new strength into your being,
And all the days of your life
May you walk gently through the world
and know its beauty.

By Sir Philip Sydney

My true-love hath my heart and I have his,
By just exchange one for the other given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss;
There was never a better bargain driven.
His heart in me keeps me and him in one;
My heart in him, his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for it was once his own;
I cherish his because it bides.
His heart his wound received from my sight;
My heart was wounded with his wounded heart;
For as from me on him his hurt did light,
So still, me thought, in me his hurt did smart:
Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss,
My true love hath my heart and I have his.

.Extract from Love Lives by John Clare

Love lives beyond
The tomb, the earth, which fades like dew.
I love the fond,
The faithful, and the true.
Love lies in sleep,
The happiness of healthy dreams,
Eve’s dews may weep,
But love delightful seems.
’Tis seen in flowers,
And in the even’s pearly dew
On earth’s green hours,
And in the heaven’s eternal blue.

’Tis heard in spring
When light and sunbeams, warm and kind,
On angel’s wing
Bring love and music to the wind.
And where is the voice
So young, so beautiful, so sweet
As nature’s choice,
Where spring and lovers meet?
Love lies beyond
The tomb, the earth, the flowers and dew.
I love the fond,
The faithful, young and true.

 

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands,
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.

 

.”Love”
Author Unknown

Love is a friendship that has caught fire.
It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving.
It is loyalty through good and bad.
It settles for less than perfection,
and makes allowances for human weakness.
Love is content with the present.
It hopes for the future and it doesn’t brood over the past.
It’s the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small
disappointments, big victories,
and working toward common goals.
If you have love in your life,
it can make up for a great many things you lack.
If you don’t have it, no matter what else there is,
it is not enough, so search for it and share it!