Late Have I Loved Thee (Augustine of Hippo) Beirdd Sat May 20 20:02:56 2000 Late Have I Loved Thee*br*(from "The Confessions of Saint Augustine")*p*Late have I loved thee, beauty at once so ancient and so new; late have I loved thee! For behold Thou wert within me, and I outside; and I sought Thee outside and in my unloveliness fell upon those lovely things that Thou hast made. Thou wert within me and I was not with Thee. I was kept from Thee by those things, yet had they not been in Thee, they would not have been at all. Thou didst call and cry to me and break open my deafness: and Thou didst send forth Thy beams and shine upon me and chase away my blindness: Thou didst breathe fragrance upon me, and I drew in my breath and do now pant for Thee: I tasted Thee, and now hunger and thirst for Thee: Thou didst touch me, and I have burned for Thy peace. Sacred Poetry Collection Beirdd 153 Wed May 10 21:29:29 2000