Sonnet LXVIII by Edmund Spenser
Most glorious Lord of life that on this day,
Didst make thy triumph over death and sin:
and having harrowed hell didst bring away,
captivity thence captive us to win.
This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
and grant that we for whom thou didest die
being with thy dear blood clean washed from sin,
may forever live in felicity.
And that thy love we weighing worthily,
may likewise love thee for the same again:
and for thy sake that all like dear didst buy,
with love may one another entertain.
So let us love, dear love, like as we ought,
love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.
Note: We've been studying Shakespeare's predecessors in my sonnet class, and now that I'm actually awake enough to pay attention, I'm really enjoying it. The Jane Austen class is good too...