I Die Of My Own Will (Italian Sonnet) Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Teresa of Avila, After John of the Cross)

Daily I die of my self, of my own will,
while You do live inside of me
and with other eyes I do the greater world see.
Daily I pickup my cross and of my sins I am ill

while You do my heart constantly fill
do help me a far better person to be
do set me of my sins, my iniquities free
do in my heart putt your goodwill

but the nearer I do get to You
the more of my own sins I become aware
but in my heart You have the throne
the more you teach me good things to do
the more of others I do care
while in my heart you do become the only one.

[Reference:"I die because I do not die" by Teresa of Avila."Stanzas of the soul that suffers with longing to see God" by John of the Cross.]