1The manucodiats
, as authors write, 2On this base dunghill
Earth doth never light
, 3But hover in the air both day and night,
4And on the dew of heaven they only feed,
5Which signifies their pure celestial breed.
6Their flesh consumes
not, yet they’re often found 7When dead; for their indulgency they’re crowned
. 8’Tis true, some birds
will help to build their nests, 9And swans and doves sit half the time, at least;
10But these
transcend all animals in love, 11Which shows that their extraction’s
from above; 12For on their backs, the males have hollow pits
13In which the female lays her eggs and sits;
14She, having the like concave in her breast,
15Being thus conjoined, their young securely rest
. 16Let parents then learn here indulgency,
17For none are blesséd without unity.
18But know that the least spark or beam
of love 19Is first diffused and kindled from above.
20For in my poor experience, this I find:
21The holiest men are evermore most kind.
22Then O, my God, from Thy bright throne above,
23Irradiate
my soul so with Thy love 24That
, as the sun illuminateth all 25Which are capacious
on this earthly ball, 26Yet still his brightest beams to Heaven return,
27So let me with such holy fervor burn:
28When that eternal spark begins to glow
29In my chaste breast, let it diffuse below
30To all relations
, then reascend above 31To God, the fount of glory, life and love.