“Perpetuity” by Frank Dempster Sherman
I heard a sweet voice singing in the night
A tender love-song written years ago,
To ease a poet’s heart of that deep woe
Born of long absence from its dear delight;
And as the music like a bird took flight
Across the shadowed world and vanished so,
I thought of him who wrote it,—did he know
How Time would keep his jewel-lyric bright?
O Poet of to-day, whose heart would sing
Some simple song of love, and sweet words give
To mate the melody that thrills the lute,—
Sing on, nor heed what lips are murmuring
To scorn your art; one perfect song shall live
For love and you long after they are mute!
Words of love and truth have a way of ringing through the ages, long after they were spoken or penned. Such words are vessels for spirits. Moreover, they provide portals through which spirit passes from one dimension or one plane of creation to another.
Words fitly spoken, that is, words which provide an apposite form capable of conveying living spirits through both time and space, are words worthy of consideration. They spark the mind and enliven the heart, no matter how recently or long ago they were strung together.
How carefully do you consider the thoughts you articulate in words from day to day? Do you take time to meditate upon past words, fitly spoken on a daily basis? Do you breath new life into them once you have, so that they may continue, revitalized, on their journey through time and space?
The perpetuity of love and truth has been clothed by words throughout the ages. To my mind, there is little more stimulating, more thought-provoking than finding a gem such as the lovely sonnet above to whet one’s appetite for love and truth.
Gregory Hake 
My earliest memories are listening to my mother and grandmother recite a poem to drive their point home or open my heart to greater compassion or understanding. It cultivated my life long appreciation for it. I loved how the poet William Wordsworth described the art. “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.” I guess, as I’ve matured, I realized not all powerful feeling is worthy of perpetuity. There should be care in our words spoken and written; they become the signature of our journey, the pebble in our own pond of incarnation.
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“To mate the melody that thrills the lute.” When the lute of our soul is touched by gems of sweetly satisfying eternal words we know it. The gratitude that follows does thrill our hearts and enlightens our minds. In the evening I find considering a psalm gem that touches my heart and writing it down considering it before falling asleep and reconsidering it the morning and accessing it during the day especially if more intense challenges arise to be useful in letting my life be oriented in sounding the victorious call as of a trumpet!
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How true Gregg. Your word remind me of the first words in the Biblical book of John. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Words it would appear, spoken or written from a pure heart, in an expression of love, carry a magical quality that does not fade away. Such words are the foundation for creation. Thank you for the lovely sonnet and the worthy consideration.
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In a word? – Agreed!
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