51. Month of May

Joy of my heart! O let me pay
To thee thine own sweet month of ]\Iay.

Mary! one gift I beg of thee,
My soul from sin and sorrow free.

Direct my wandering feet aright,
And be thyself mine own true light.

Be love of thee the purging fire,
To cleanse for God my heart's desire.

IVIother! be love of thee a ray •
From heaven, to show the heavenward way.

Mary! make haste thy child to win
From sin, and from the love of sin.

Mother of God! let my poor love
A mother's prayers and pity move.

O Mary, when I come to die,
Be thou, thy spouse, and Jesus nigh.

When mute before the Judge I stand,
My holy shield be JNlary's hand.

O Mary! let no child of thine
In hell's eternal exile pine.

If time for penance still be mine
Mother, the precious gift is thine.

Thou, Mary, art my hope and life,
The starlight of this earthly strife.

Oh, for my own and others' sin
Do thou, ^vho canst, free pardon win.

To sinners all, to me the chief,
Send^ Mother, send thy kind relief.

To thee our love and troth are given;
Pray for us, pray, bright Gate of Heaven.

Sweet Day-Star! let thy beauty be
A light to draw my soul to thee.

We love thee, light of sinners' eyes!
Oh let thy prayers for sinners rise,

Look at us, IMother ^lary! see
How piteously we look to thee.

I am thy slave, nor would I be
For worlds from this sweet bondage free.

O Jesus, Joseph, Mary deign
My soul in heavenly ways to train.

Sweet Stewardess of God, thy prayers
We beg, who are God's ransomed heirs.

O Virgin-born! O Flesh Divine!
Cleanse us, and make us wholly Thine.

Mary, dear Mistress of my heart,
What thou wouldst have me do impart.

Thou, who wert pure as driven snow,
Make me as thou wert here below.

O Queen of Heaven! obtain for me
Thy glory there one day to see.

Oh then and there, on that bright day,
To me thy womb's chaste Fruit display.

Mother of God! to me no less
Vouchsafe a mother's sweet caress.

Be love of thee, my whole life long,
A seal upon my wayward tongue.

Write on my heart's most secret core
The five dear Wounds that Jesus bore.

Oh give me tears to slicd with tlice
Beneath the Cross on Calvary.

One more request, and I have done;
With love of thee and thy dear Son
More let me burn, and more each day,
Till love of self is burned away.