Psalm 27.

Blessed be the body,

blessed by the gentle breath,

the bearer of pervading peace,

we never far from its caress.

A constant lesson it affords, lest we forget,

in what is meant by gentleness.

From within it works to convert us

to the rightness of the tender act,

to teach us how happiness and gentleness

come together, are never separate,

how, ungentle, we invite distress and grief,

how, truly joyful, we cannot but be gentle.

So instructed, so schooled by the breath

in how actually to love something,

the pupil is most cordially invited

to go and do likewise.