OUR LADY OF THE ASCENSION

OUR LADY OF THE ASCENSION*

Fold your love like hands around the moment,

Keep it for conference with your heart, that exit

caught on clocks, by dutiful scribes recorded

less truly than in archives of your soul.

Turn back from His going, be His still-remaining,

lift the familiar latch on cottage door ...

discover His voice in corners, hear His footsteps

run down the porches of your thoughts! No Powers

however hoarse with joy, no Dominations

limp with adoration guess what whispers

of: "Mother, look!" and: "Mother, hurry!"

glance off the cottage walls in shafts of glory.

How shall your heart keep swinging longer, Mary?

Quickly, quickly, take the sturdy needle

before your soul crowds through your flesh - the needle

and stout black thread will save you! Take the sandal

Peter left for mending. After that,

the time is short, with bread to bake for John.

Mother M Francis PCC

Cord. August 1958

Used with permission

_______________________________________________

* The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ is referred to here. The poem is a reference to the loneliness Mary must have suffered after returning from seeing  

her Son ascend into heaven forty days after His Resurrection.

PSALM FOR THE MOTHER OF GOD

PSALM FOR THE MOTHER OF GOD

Sleeved and skirted in sun, informed with Spirit,

invade the moments of our history,

Mary with all your terrible bright battalions.

You are less cadence than sinew of our songs,

girl whose smiles run down our joys, O woman

whose fiat blames our sleep of sorrow, Mary,

loop our feet retreating with your glances -

ropes of lilacs stouter than any chain!

Virgin of perspective, focus us

fast on your Son, and catch our straying glances,

little foxes*, in your trap of hands -

less cadence be than sinew of our songs.

Mother M Francis PCC

Spirit. 1963-64. Used with permission

_______________________

* Song of Songs 11:15

OUR LADY OF SCIENCE

OUR LADY OF SCIENCE

Our Lady is a geometric form,

a being perfect in the subtle mind;

Our Lady is a prism glass designed

to break the pattern swiftly to the Norm.

Our Lady is a lulling and a storm,

a portent of a vista yet unmined;

Our Lady is all elements combined,

a crucible of heart upstirred and warm.

Here where to one divine event the pace

of time is set; here where the cradled seed

is promise of the life, the final lace

of man to God - this is the prayer, the creed -

Lady of Science, of atom, of cell,

O come, to shape the place for Christ to dwell.

Sister Maura SSND

Where once the wild Arbutus grew. 1945

Used with permission

OUR LADY OF SONG

OUR LADY OF SONG

My soul doth magnify the little sound

of coming song: the shuttle of the leaves

before the rain; the thunder of the sheaves

of winter clouds so silently unbound

before the snow; the whir of wings that mound

a nest; the soft, sharp breath that childhood weaves

upon a gift; the stir of ghostly greaves

of angel's armour guarding us around.

Unbar the cloister of your song; the larks

that Francis* knew wheel agile, sunward, high;

From psaltery of the heart unswing white sparks

Of beauty, bird and star flung to the sky.

Set free your voice above the lonely throng,

The sound you bring is peace - Our Lady's song.

Sister Maura SSND

Where once the wild Arbutus grew. 1945.

Used with permission

_________________________________

*St Francis of Assisi, the saint who was known for his love for nature, birds and animals.

OUR LADY OF WISDOM

OUR LADY OF WISDOM

Our Lady holds all Wisdom unconfined

within her veil, her arms, her heart - a weave

of love about herself. No nights bereave

the Light she bears. Who are of spirit signed,

to these she comes to share the Essence undefined

and undefinable. To shy young Eve

she brings the great desire that will leave

 a lovely, humble halo on the mind.

Our Lady walks in wisdom in this place,

as young a girl as these; Our Lady knows

what subtleties great Aquin's* words may trace,

and, knowing, lifts the rod, and bears the Rose

announcing gifts of splendour, all His, His,

Who Father bides, and Godhead, He Who is.

Sister Maura SSND

Where once the wild Arbutus grew. 1945

Used with permission

____________________________

* St Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274), the Dominican priest, theologian, philosopher, writer and saint

OUR LADY OF THE REFUGEES

OUR LADY OF THE REFUGEES

Mother who knew

what hardship shakes

a woman bundling clothes

and putting by her wheaten cakes;

Mother who urged the donkey

(making happy riot

on the straggling stones)

urged the beast to be more quiet:

Mother who heard the Child

whimper beneath the thin blue shawl,

our aching prayers cry out to thee,

Mother, pray for them all.

A thousand Bethlehems

mask dark tonight;

the eyes of little friendly homes

have lost their light;

pathetic heaps of poor, dear things

are laid aside; a small bird sang

where a latched door swings.

Mother, whose sad Egyptian flight

preceded all of these

guide them in faith beneath familiar stars,

Our Lady of the Refugees.

Sister Maura SSND

Marian Library Collection

Used with permission

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE ASSUMPTION

THE ASSUMPTION

And yet tradition tells us Mary travelled far

In the uncounted years that afterwards ensued

And where she went, her work was on a par

With that of the apostles - full of good

Exhaustedly she pulled out from the fray

They laid her also in a stony tomb

And also thought her bones were there to stay

In that quiet, gloomy, subterranean room

When Thomas sadly visited her grave,

Tears in his eyes, to bid her soul farewell

They found no trace of Mother Mary, save

A sheaf of lilies freshly blooming still

The swords of Simeon's prophecy together numbered seven

And Mary will forevermore as queen reign over heaven

Amen!

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION

Within hours to defeat the Sabbath's onset

Mary's Son was buried in the grave

Belonging to another Joseph than that

One Who had in the manger first him laid

A broken Mary stumbled from the tomb

John the Beloved took her sunburnt arm

Her other hand and arm reached for her womb

Saint John resolved to save her from all harm

The third day Mary visited the place

To find that Christ had risen from the dead

When meeting, did Mother and Son embrace?

We're sure, although the Bible never said

Patiently caring for the apostle John

She stayed behind, left Christ her Son scale heaven on His own

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE WAY OF THE CROSS

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

The truth of Simeon's prophetic words

In Jerusalem horribly came to pass

All over Galilee the news was heard

That Jesus through betrayal captured was

Pilate washed his hands in hoped for innocence

Where now were those who had so lately praised?

Masses of people showed their ignorance

Grim heads were tossed and threatening fists were raised

With nails his hands and feet were cruelly pierced

The salty blood from thorn crown blinded his eyes

After three hours of intolerable tears

The Son of God, the Son of Mary, died

Taken down from the Cross he on her knees was laid

With Mary at his burial but three or four friends prayed

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM

JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM

While Christ preached and taught the following three years

His mother stayed in Nazareth alone

In private she was filled with hideous fears:

When would the sword of Simeon be drawn?

In his hometown's synagogue our dear Saviour taught

They shouted him down for to call on him shame

He fled from their midst, bringing Mary distraught

Henceforth to Nazareth seldom they came

One day the news spread he'd been publicly praised

Seated on a donkey, he'd entered Jerusalem

Folks waving palms a holy uproar raised

He simply smiled, blessed and acknowledged them

"Blessed is He Who comes in the Lord's Name," they sang

In heaven and on earth the holy echoes rang

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: MARY WAITS OUTSIDE

MARY WAITS OUTSIDE

It was established Christ loved Mary best

The day the Cana miracle took place

But afterwards he put her to the test

Until the smile of joy had left her face

Not one word of protest Mary uttered

The day he preached while she waited outside

"Your mother and brothers are waiting", they muttered

But the tidings by him were denied

"Who are my mother and brothers?" He demanded

"Those who obey God's will upon the earth."

In this way Mary knew she'd been commanded

Humbly to wait outside for Him she'd birthed

Yet a woman in the gathering did audibly think:

"Blessed's the womb that bore you, the paps that gave you drink."

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE WEDDING AT CANA

THE WEDDING AT CANA

Concerning twenty-one years Scripture's silent

And about Saint Joseph, its writing speak no more

Tradition tells his death was far from violent

His dear soul simply slipped out from their door

Since Jesus and Mary were left on their own

At the start of the Lord's public life

It accordingly chanced that the two were alone

When the wedding at Cana arrived

The wine had run out and the bridegroom felt shy

"Please help them," of Christ Mary asked

He demurred, refusing: "It's not yet my time,"

But: "Do as He says: Fill the casks."

Christ's earliest public miracle occurred at Mary's request

It illustrated to the world that He loved His mother best

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: JESUS IS FOUND IN THE TEMPLE

JESUS IS FOUND IN THE TEMPLE

The Bible is silent about the next six years

Of Jesus' life with his father and mother

There were sorrows and joys, laughter and tears

Love reigned in their little home as in none other

Pece continued till Christ was twelve years old

And with His parents to Jerusalem travelled

The Pasch was celebrated with reverence untold

Neither parent going home, at his absence cavilled

Early in the evening the child's loss was discovered

Back in Jerusalem they searched high and low

"How is it you sought me?" Christ asked when recovered

"My Father's affairs must come first as you know."

For the next twenty-one years they were seldom apart

But Mary bore the imprint of the child's loss on her heart

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT

But seeking Herod did not harm the Lord

An angel ordered Joseph in a dream

To take the mother and the Child, God's Word,

And flee to Egypt's land and its Nile stream

It wasn't easy for the family

To travel such a distance O so long

And to make matters worse, the holy three

Were unfamiliar with the Egyptian tongue

Later in Egypt they eventually learned

that Herod the King died at last

"Pack, Mary!" said Joseph, as always concerned

to wipe out the hurts of the past

The family arrived back in Nazareth's fold

When Jesus, the Son of God, was six years old

Luky Whittle

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With thanks to Legion of Mary project

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE VISIT OF THE THREE KINGS

THE VISIT OF THE THREE KINGS

The holy Family living in the stable

Received a ceremonial visit from three kings

Who brought them from their homes gifts they were able

To pack on camels' backs with other things

A blazing star had led them from the East

Their presents were of incense, myrrh and gold

Incense was for deity, myrrh for demise

the gold for His kingship of old

King Herod had asked them to show him the place

Where Jesus the King might be seen

But, warned by an angel, they left without trace

No single sign left where they'd been

King Herod in his rage lost every shred of sense

And Rachel's wails resounded as he killed the Innocents

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE

THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE

In keeping with the teaching of the Jews

They took the infant to Jerusalem

A gift of sparrows all that they could choose

To offer to the Lord awaiting them

The temple's ancient handmaid met them there

She gave the highest honour to the Lord

And saintly Simeon warned the Virgin fair

A sword would pierce her tender mother's heart

Destroying the hopes every young mother holds,

He prophetically tore them apart,

Throughout her long life she recalled he foretold

That her future showed pain on its chart

For thirty years she bravely struggled through

until the dreaded prophecy came true

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE BIRTH OF THE INFANT JESUS

THE BIRTH OF THE INFANT JESUS

In Bethlehem, confronted with a welter

Of registering people all looking for room,

Saint Joseph and Mary could not find shelter

Though signs indicated the Child would come soon

After some hours Mary, no longer able

To search for lodgings, was forced to give birth

It was in a rough, dirty Bethlehem stable

The Lord of the heavens was welcomed on earth

His foster father laid Him in a manger

Since there was no room for them in the inn

Shepherds and angels kept them from all danger

And tended to them in this world of sin

The heavenly choirs of angels sang the Gloria

As birds of earth chirruped Ave Maria

Luky Whittle

SONNETS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: THE MARRIAGE OF MARY

THE MARRIAGE OF MARY

March and her carpenter had wed

Joseph was making the little Lord's cradle

"A beautiful couple," the Nazarenes said

Mary cleaned house and kept a good table

The birth date of her little Son drew near

All the Baby's clothes were ready made

But Mary could not hide a pang of fear

What would the neighbours say about the date?

Caesar Augustus saved the day for them

Proclaiming registration in each town

David their ancestor was from Bethlehem

With Mary on a donkey they went down

From neighbours' busy tongues the bride was saved

As Joseph and Mary the cold snowstorms braved

Luky Whittle