Love at the heart of the universe

It has been said that all our human loves are but reflections of the love at the heart of the universe. Here, then, is the story of that love in this week's Saturday poem.

Love at the heart of the universe

In the beginning, love was alone.

And in the wind, love was blown

Across the void, and spoke a word:

That was the first, said, unheard,

From which all things came to be

All dust, planet, star, and galaxy,

From love reaching into the void,

And in this love was overjoyed;

Once shadow came across the land,

As if the gods stretched out their hand,

And demanded the father make the son

A sacrifice on the mountain: deed done;

But love said no, and on Moriah ended

That cruelty, and love spoke and mended;

And they came down, the father and son,

Bound together in love, and love had won

Heavy is the head which holds the crown:

From his window, the King looked down,

And saw Isaac and Rebecca making love,

In their ecstasy, soared in spirit above; 

Love bestowed blessings on Isaac's family:

For thousands of generations, blessed be;

Asked only that they obey the law of love:

The love at the heart of the universe above

Love spoke: I am full of compassion and pity,

Not angered easily, opening blind eyes to see

How a world looks without revenge or hate,

Guided by love, and not blind stumbling fate;

Love shining brightly over sea and lands:

A covenant of love, and these the commands:

To love your neighbour as you love yourself,

And seek in darkness of fear, light for self

Love blesses fields, seed sown in love arises,

And the miracle of springtime still surprises;

Grain, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep:

This is the promise love will ever keep;

In turn, we must show love to the stranger,

For love risks all, love risks any danger,

And we are all strangers in a strange land,

Where love reaches with redeeming hand.

In darker times, love is broken, weeping, lost,

For love is not cheap, and there can be a cost

For reaching out, with compassionate heart,

And the children of darkness tear this apart;

Power against love: power wins every time:

Love torn, battered, bleeding, dirt and grime;

Hate, fear, violence, anger: how they spread,

Until love is lifeless, fading, dying, dead.

A wind, and in the wind, love was blown

Through the garden where seeds were sown;

And rain as tears falls down upon soil;

Good earth:  the gardener once did toil;

The rain will end, and the sun will shine:

Love will return from dead, love divine,

And a woman with joy will run and cry:

Love is free, alive, does not here lie.