Fourth Station Good Friday “My Lord.” “My Lady fair.” “Speak lover.” “Purest Beloved: Do you remember, long ago, a gift and blessing from my Lord?” “Your Lord?” “The Lord.” “I remember misty warmth and whispery words, Some unspoken, all were heard.” “And I?” “The Gift.” “As well I do remember. His presence made present.” “A […]
Third Station Good Friday A man lays broken Words unspoken A priceless token Freely given But still riven And yet he looks up Breathes And gets up. Matthew B. Rose
Second Station Good Friday The other day, when we were walking (we are almost out of time) I remember you said something serious (jokingly, of course, of course) something about a kingdom (my kingdom for a horse?) maybe it was something else (what about hands) that’s it, I remember (The Kingdom of Heaven is at […]
Life IX The heart asks pleasure first, And then, excuse from pain; And then, those little anodynes That deaden suffering And then, to go to sleep; And then, if it should be The will of its Inquisitor, The liberty to die. Emily Dickinson
“Good Friday” Intro Deus meus, Deus meus, O my Lord, Save us, save us, Through your mercy Save us. Adam, see what you started, Eve, see what you did, All your sins, and yours and mine, He was somehow able to forgive. Hear that sound, it is a gong, A solitary steady song, Hear it […]
Seven Cities Beware. Beware. Be wary as you go All around the country, trees of anger grow Some are of the oak, some are of the beech Some are of the old wood and have a higher reach Look inside the circle where seven cities burn, Of those who enter inward, none of them return, […]
Man’s Civil War MY hovering thoughts would fly to heaven And quiet nestle in the sky, Fain would my ship in Virtue’s shore Without remove at anchor lie. But mounting thoughts are haled down With heavy poise of mortal load, And blustring storms deny my ship In Virtue’s haven secure abode. When inward eye to […]
The Gentle God The gentle God stands off in the distance Awaiting the arrivals That moment the world calls death- He calls and cares, He coaxes and cajoles- Hoping all will begin the great journey home But they make the call, they make the choice- Eternity will show Those who choose a route of truth […]
At Home When I was dead, my spirit turned To seek the much-frequented house: I passed the door, and saw my friends Feasting beneath green orange boughs; From hand to hand they pushed the wine, They sucked the pulp of plum and peach; They sang, they jested, and they laughed, For each was loved of […]
Love’s Servile Lot LOVE, mistress is of many minds, Yet few know whom they serve; They reckon least how little Love Their service doth deserve. The will she robbeth from the wit, The sense from reason’s lore; She is delightful in the rind, Corrupted in the core. She shroudeth vice in virtue’s veil, Pretending good […]
Children of Our Age We are children of our age, it’s a political age. All day long, all through the night, all affairs–yours, ours, theirs– are political affairs. Whether you like it or not, your genes have a political past, your skin, a political cast, your eyes, a political slant. Whatever you say reverberates, whatever […]
Children of Our Age (Translated by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh) We are children of our age, it’s a political age. All day long, all through the night, all affairs–yours, ours, theirs– are political affairs. Whether you like it or not, your genes have a political past, your skin, a political cast, your eyes, a […]
Sanctified Hands Fingers spontaneously unfold, joint by joint Revealing a palm itching to catch: A ray eminating from His Holy Face. A beam of light filling the hole drilled By worldly endeavors. A luminious stream of love flowing Through fingers outstretched, spread apart Attemping to capture infinity In a particular moment in time. Washed clean, […]
‘Come,’ Thou dost say to Angels ‘Come,’ Thou dost say to Angels, To blessed Spirits, ‘Come’: ‘Come,’ to the lambs of Thine own flock, Thy little ones, ‘Come home.’ ‘Come,’ from the many-mansioned house The gracious word is sent; ‘Come,’ from the ivory palaces Unto the Penitent. O Lord, restore us deaf and blind, Unclose […]
I am the Seed… I am the seed that fell among the stones, Heedless sowers, yet a stem I grew, A twig, a leaf, and then stood up alone – Child of wastelands, growing I was new I was a seed among the brambles bruised, A tangled shade laced-up above my head, What lived beneath […]
The Fuse One fist clenches Discharging the universe What thunder! Heavenly bodies hurled! Journeying, spinning, Eternal directed movement. You, the Alpha You make it happen Why do they hide? Why do they cry tears? Tender saplings Shallow and green Long to be Great knotted oaks, Blackened Proven Sentries of love You, the Alpha You make […]
The End and the Beginning (Translation by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh) After every war someone has to tidy up. Things won’t pick themselves up, after all. Someone has to shove the rubble to the roadsides so the carts loaded with corpses can get by. Someone has to trudge through sludge and ashes, through the […]
