One final poem for Advent, this one inspired by Luci Shaw’s “Some Christmas Stars“. Merry Christmas everyone. May it be a blessed time remembering the wonder of God made flesh. Earth’s Carol The stars make songs in silent sway, The roosters wait for newborn day, And I in brokenness make way To sing the songsContinue reading “Earth’s Carol (After Luci Shaw’s “Some Christmas Stars”)”
Tag Archives: Jesus
Descend, Ascend (After Luci Shaw’s “Made Flesh”)
As Advent draws frighteningly close to its festive conclusion, it’s time to catch up on the December poems for my 12 Poets Project. Today we enter another of Luci Shaw’s reflections on the Christmas story, the beautiful “Made Flesh” which was the inspiration for my next poem. Descend, Ascend (After Luci Shaw’s “Made Flesh”) Now,Continue reading “Descend, Ascend (After Luci Shaw’s “Made Flesh”)”
“She pondered all these things in her heart” (After Luci Shaw’s “Mary Considers Her Situation”)
The virgin sat,the angel’s wordsshimmering around the room. She fancied now that Danielmight have shared her trembling heartwhen Gabriel had spoken truth which did not fully sooth. The prophets spoke of shoots from stumpsand virgins bearing Israel’s sign,and yet she’d never heard her name connected with such wondrous things,too wonderful for her to bearand truthsContinue reading ““She pondered all these things in her heart” (After Luci Shaw’s “Mary Considers Her Situation”)”
Messiah
I was not ready: You came when I was sleeping, At my least expected midnight. Reality shook – this veil we call “The way things are”; angels sang And shepherds danced, but I – Exhausted by normality – Dozed while, in a baby’s cry, Four hundred years of silence found Their end-point in this night.
With reverent fear
In this you greatly rejoice, though for now Your life flits by, empty at times, sometimes glad. And in these days, though you furrow your brow, The breeze on your face can still lift up the sad, And music is sweet, and the grace that is seen Falls likewise on righteous, unrighteous, Both blesses theContinue reading “With reverent fear”
Timid Heart
Timid heart, Scared of dirt, Frightened soul, Fleeing all, Fledgling man, Adam-stained, Broken saint, Breathing faint, Ageing child, Lost and wild, Fractured mind, Wounded, blind, Death-marked Cain, Madman, sane, Searching eyes, Veiled skies, God-child dead, The curse unsaid, Ransomed One, The curse undone. Timid heart, Scared of dirt, Grace-scarred hand, Eternal plan.
Audenesques
For my last Auden poem for the month, I have decided to fuse much of his poetry together in this homage to his work, great and humble alike. Along with the many famous, more memorable poems, Auden also wrote several poems which were kinds of collections of miniatures, poetic vignettes, sometimes sweet, sometimes stark andContinue reading “Audenesques”
Faith and Sight
I. “Am I okay?” the question asks itself. The mind retreats within to make reply And eyes forever dart towards the shelf (The cupboard open, fruit left out to dry). Unsettled souls put back the oil of joy And rifle through supplies to find the seed. The memory bank’s a plastic, moulding joy, Responsive toContinue reading “Faith and Sight”
Like Love (After W.H. Auden’s “Law, say the gardeners, is the sun”)
The first of our Auden poems for the month is the wonderful “Law, say the gardeners, is the sun”, a poem that Auden wrote in 1939 around the time of his conversion to Christianity. It was famously written shortly after his profound and emphatic “September 1, 1939”, the poem he wrote on the outbreak ofContinue reading “Like Love (After W.H. Auden’s “Law, say the gardeners, is the sun”)”
Psalm 125
Safe – like the hills’ fortifications, whelmed by the wind but not moved, not shaken; firm as rock, firm as covenant, grounded in Christ’s almighty core; stern as mountain, sure as sunrise, safe as heaven, safe.
The Consolations of Writing 