Classic Poem

I take love at its word:
When things seem to be going wrong I take love at its word:
When the sun is eclipsed I take the sun at its word,
When my dreams fail to come true I take my dreams at their word,
When I lie languishing in prison I take freedom at its word,
When evil seems to triumph I take good at its word:
In whatever shadow of sorrow I take joy at its word,
In whatever failure I take success at its word —
When the heart stops beating I take the heart at its word,
When death prevails over life I take life at its word
The light can never set me aside: I take the light at its word:
And hope — hope can never set me aside: I take hope at its word:
I who love for forever: I take love at its word.

The tree that is fallen to the ground,
The body that is violated and diseased,
The ideals that are defeated in battle,
The children that were born but failed to grow up,
The planter who is not allowed to pick the fruit of his seedcast,
The woman who is married to the man she does not love,
The man who is married to the woman he does not love,
The singer whose voice does not sing,
The writer whose words do not tell their story,
The play that the people will not come to see,
The ship that never gets into port:
All the things that were designed and do not fulfil their design:
Even the honest man who does not fulfil his design but becomes a thief,
Even the lover who does not fulfil his design but learns to hate,
Even the Cain who does not fulfil his design but kills his brother:
No matter who, who does not fulfil his design and is in despair,
I say to all: whatever you may be, I take you at your word:
Whatever you may have lost you have not lost my love:
For I who love for forever: I take love at its word.

Jesus with the nails through his hands took love at its word,
Socrates with the hemlock at his lips took love at its word,
Whitman in poverty and obloquy took love at its word,
John Brown on Virginia's scaffold took love at its word:
Are you afraid, you at your daily job, to take love at its word?
Are you willing to take hate at its word while you refuse to take love at its word?
Is it so easy to take sorrow at its word and be satisfied with sorrow?
Is it so hard to take gladness at its word and be satisfied with gladness?
Even if the seed does not flower I will take the seed at its word,
Even if the foundation is never built upon I take the foundation at its word,
Even if the idea is never put into a deed I take the idea at its word.
I am not thwarted by delays and miscarriages:
I know that while the clock may go wrong time must go right
I look into an open grave: they have just put my young boy down there:
God help me! it is a blow over the heart:
But I say that though the grave may be dug deep I take my young boy at his word,
And I say that though the Devil may play his part I take God at his word.
I take love at its word:
There is nothing so bad I cannot take good at its word,
There is nothing so ugly I cannot take beauty at its word,
There is no cruelty so foul I cannot take kindness at its word,
There is no mind so bereaved I cannot take genius at its word,
There is nothing of so little account I cannot take riches at its word:
And that is why I am happy and can come back from everywhere bringing good reports:
Bringing fair and noble reports of love from wherever I come back —
For I who love for forever: I take love at its word.