Kahlil Gibran on Love: Activity II

For Activity two I chose the poem "On Love", written by Kahlil Gibran and taken from his book, The Prophet.
I used a flowing font and the color white for the opening word "Love" to depict love as a pure and fluid word. Attempting -attempting mind you :) to convey the thought that true love is unadulterated and spills over in every aspect of one's life.
I chose to highlight "fulfill" in purple because purple is traditionally thought to represent wealth and opulence, which of course can be interpreted as emotional well-being or satisfaction.
I used the color red for "desires" as red often times represents passion or deep emotion. In one instance I used different variations of pink and the word was accented with hearts, because desires can also be playful and giddy (think school-girl doodling in her notebook during math class).
I arranged the phrase "like a running brook" in an attempt to create the feeling of movement -once again, attempt. I definitely could have chosen a better font for that one.
I accented "pain" because it conveys such a strong emotion and I struck a line through "bleed" as if the word itself were being sliced through the heart.
I like the faded texture of "wake" because it conjures up (at least in my mind) the image that the moments just between dream and consciousness are still slightly hazy and unclear. Likewise with "dawn" because you can see morning (pink) materializing out of the darkness (black).
I chose to highlight "rest" and "meditation" in blue because blue is thought to be calming, relaxing and very contemplative.
I love "ecstasy" because it is this bold, energetic burst of color in the midst of all this darkness, and for me, it perfectly conveys the emotion behind this word.

Here is the poem in its entirety. The last portion, which is highlighted in bold, is the fragment I have used for this assignment.

Kahlil Gibran on Love:

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.