St. Valentine's Song

Here's a poem I wrote all the way back in 2003. This was in the early age of my poetry, and so its sense of meter and word choice is perhaps not quite as polished as what I could throw together now (in fact, I've excluded about half of the original poem's stanzas, for the simple reason that they weren't very good). But, since Valentine's Day is in the offing, I thought it would be fitting to post what were my very first poetic musings on the subject. It was written while I was attending Houghton College, and as yet still single, so it has a bit of a reactionary impulse against the spirit of the holiday; nonetheless, I still think it's worth a reading.

St. Valentine's Song 

Romance is a gift from God,

A glorious offering of praise,

But it cannot be a substitute

For the passionate pursuit of grace.

We must hunt for joy,

And never give up the chase

To find in Him who made us

The love that floods this earthly race.

So I will fix my eyes on Him,

And He will take this humble soul

And He will break it and shape it

And will make it truly whole,

Until I can be the servant

Who for love gives up his life.

And then, perhaps, romance will come,

But not without the sacrifice.

Lord, grant me the grace

To lay aside my own ambitions

To embrace the race you’ve set for me

And seek my will’s submission.

No lesser love will I settle for

Than the love that Christ showed me,

And I shall not rest until that love

Is poured from this heart, complete.