PRAYER

PRAYER

Once I looked up: Hail Mary.  It means

Ave Maria, 1 & 2.  A quote

from Poe? [1]  or Scott [2] has some romantic lines

on it.  No.  Schubert, [3] of course.  Trite

as melodies go, but good for popular appeal.

1. the salutation of the angel;  2.

 one of the small beads on a rosary.  That is all

      the dictionary tells.  My mother knew

another meaning.  She gave it to me with

singing, skipping, laughing, listening, and waiting

for birthdays.  She read the tidings to me, breath

gentled to the sound of Gabriel’s greeting.

Hail Mary.  Two words to say and know

God walked in Paradise and thought of you.

Sister Maura SSND

Spirit.  1967-1968

Used with permission

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[1] Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) wrote a Marian praise poem entitled “Hymn”.

[2] Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) wrote a Marian praise poem entitled “Ave Maria”.  It is found in Canto IV of  “The Lady of the Lake”.

[3] The composer Franz Schubert ( 1797-1828) set the “Ave Maria” by Scott in its German translation to music.  The composition to this day enjoys great popular appeal.