Ode to My Muse

My muse does not know her name
Her secret, blessèd name

My muse does not know her fame
Her eternal, glorious fame

Her fire is like the furious sun
Whose light weaves a bright tapestry
Her love is like the continual moon
Of night the fair faithful queen

If my love were like her star—

A jewel of wondrous light
Set against the deep black night
In a constellation beauteous
Noble and vast—

Our love then might
Burn ever bright—

Our love might ever last

I may not behold her brilliant face—

But only when I dream—

Yet still she on me lovingly glows

Still she on me tenderly bestows
Her mysterious radiant grace

She reigns ever over my heart
Its true and lovely queen
She is my bright and beauteous beloved
My glorious and kindly queen—

She is my glorious
She is my glorious
She is my kindly queen—

In her dwells all that’s blest
And all that’s fair
And all that’s fit to dream

If ever I could I would love my muse
And desire nothing dearer
If ever I should I would love my muse
And never hold any dream nearer

She is a sweet and gracious and elegant muse
Her poet’s heart she must ever softly break
That she might bless him with longing dreams
And the songs of pure love that he must ever make

My muse does not know her fame
Her eternal, glorious fame

My muse does not know her name
Her secret, blessèd name

***

Steven Holland

July 7, 2013