Text: THE SOUL Kahlil Gibran, 1922 . . . And the God of Gods created the soul, fashioning it for beauty. He gave unto it the gentleness of a breeze at dawn, the scent of flowers, the loveliness of moonlight. He gave unto it also the cup of joy, and He said: "You shall not drink of this cup save that you have forgotten the past and renounced the future." He gave unto it also the cup of sorrow, saying: "Drink that you may understand the meaning of joy." Then God bestowed within the soul love that would depart with the first sigh of content, And sweetness that would flee from the first word of arrogance. He made a heavenly sign to guide it in the path of truth. He placed in its depths an eye that would behold the unseen. He created within it a fancy to flow like a river with phantoms and moving figures. He clothed it in garments of longing woven by angels, from the rainbow. Within it He placed also the darkness of bewilderment, which is the shadow of light. And God took fire from the forge of anger, Wind blowing from the desert of ignorance; Sand He gathered from the seashore of selffulness And dust from beneath the feet of the ages; Thus He fashioned man; And unto man He gave blind strength that leaps into a flame in moments of mad passion, and lies down before desire. God gave him life which is the shadow of death. And the God of Gods smiled and wept, and He knew a love which hath no bound nor end; Thus He united man and his soul.

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