The Beauty Beneath

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9)

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Each painting that soothes us

And tear-springing tune

Each novel that moves us

Each j’wel finely hewn

Each smile we delight in

And animal cute

Each redwood of grandeur

Each color-splashed fruit

Each sunset fantastic

And moonrise of glory

Each mountain majestic

Tells but half the story

Each time we catch sight of

Some marvel and stare

Each thing that enchants us

So gorgeous, so fair

We find that it wounds us

It leaves us still yearning

A presence, yet absence

That quells not the churning

All visions eye-drenching

Explode then expire

Our heart’s thirst unquenching

Our souls more require

Beneath such brief beauties

Beneath, yet above

The Bridegroom-Creator

Soft-whispers His love

With gifts He pursues us

This Lover untiring

With loveliness woos us (cf. Song of Songs)

Toward joy unexpiring