Poems and Rhymed prayers cover

Yours one yearTwelve most eventful months have passed –one whole year come and gone –since you, my dearest, stole my heart,since I became your own.It was a year of grace as well –of struggle, pleasure, pain –of following life’s narrow path,eternity to gain.It opened with such raptureon the heath, beneath the moon.Today the sun is shining –love’s bliss was mine so soon!How deep, how high, my hopes and pleas!How earnestly I prayed,while moonbeams bathed me with their lightand night winds round me played.My vision then was far too small,too little did I dare.Yet God gave me a hundred timeswhat I begged him in prayer.And now, see with what happinessmy dearest Emmy beams!Of such bright radiance and joymost hearts can only dream.The gift that she, my dearest,allowed me to receive,I could not, in my boldest hours,ever have conceived.For she increased my joyat least a millionfold; yes, morethan one could ever hope for hereor on earth’s farthest shore.Yes, she has given me morethan any other under heaven:she gave her life to me entire,and more cannot be given.O Emmy! Let my love for youwash o’er you as a flood,that every passionate impulse,my every drop of bloodbe yours alone entirely,yours always to abide.No force of exile, threat of deathcould drive me from your side.May I, to serve you all our days,my burning love employ,and never tire to devisewhatever brings you joy.So let my life be wholly yours,my sunshine and my bride!Let any search: no fairer loveon earth will e’er be spied.Breslau, April 14, 1908Eberhard wrote this poem to mark the first anniversary of their engagement.In the accompanying letter (April 15) he writes: “Preparing for examshas kept me from prayer…and from writing poems. But yesterday I couldn’tresist any longer –I just had to write the enclosed lines. I then went out intothe park, in bright moonlight, to pray and to praise God.”P O E M S & R H Y M E D P R A Y E R S:E B E R H A R D A R N O L D 40