I sing the Song of Songs; the Song of Love.
I sing the Epic of the Incarnate King:
I sing the Kingdom's triumph and the fall
Of Satan's hosts before the Virgin Queen.
I sing of Strife stupendous and the Palm
Of Martyrs, Saints, Confessors; and I sing
Of voices multitudinous and sweet,
Which John heard on the empyrean stair.
Of Crowns I sing - and of the end of Time,
And of that Vision of Eternal Peace
Which makes the unity of hearts below,
And upward draweth unperfected souls -
Suffering purgation - or, on earth in time,
Or, in the timeless fires of Purgatory.
Thus have I dared in humble rhymes to sing
The Love of God, and our Immortal Queen,
Reigning with Jesus near the Great White Throne.
To God be Glory - God, the Three in One.
* * *
Hail, O Virgin, Most Worthy, chosen before the creation of the world: hail, in that delicious dew, which floweth into thee out of the most Blessed Trinity by reason of the Glory and the Bliss in which thou art, and for ever: thou wilt be ravished above all creatures in Heaven and earth.
- words received in a vision by Saint Mechtilde
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote