Share:
  Guess poet | Poets | Poets timeline | Isles | Contacts

Padraic Colum - Verses For Alfeo Faggi`s Stations Of The CrossPadraic Colum - Verses For Alfeo Faggi`s Stations Of The Cross
Work rating: Low


I HERE Pilate`s Court is: None may clatter nor call Where the Wolf giving suck To the Twins glares on all "Strip Him and scourge Him Till flesh shows the blood, And afterwards nail Him On cross of wood." O Lord Silence in us the condemning word! II Heaven witnesseth, but only in the heart Is any aid: "They know not what they do," and then on Him The Cross is laid The Cross that`s wide and long enough to bear His flesh and bone: A spectacle unto the crowded way, The Man goes on. The Father`s will May we know also, and may we fulfil! III Beneath the load The knees quail; The heart pants, The joints fail; Almost the bones break; He faints, his breath being loss; He sinks beneath the Cross! May we Be mindful of this road to Calvary! IV Jesus His Mother meets: She looks on Him and sees The Saviour in Her Son: The Angel`s word comes back: Within her heart she says, "Unto me let this be done!" Still is she full of grace. By us, too, be it won The grace that brings us revelation! V "If He should die upon the road That were a turn of ill: `Tis fixed the Crucifixion be Upon that skull-shaped hill. Ho, man who looks with pity on The Man we take to death Bear you the Cross I order it Until He wins back breath." We take Our hearts being moved, the Cross up for Thy sake! VI Down to her face His face He bends: The helper she, the heartner: His image in her cloth He leaves; He leaves it, too, to all like her Who serve within a little room, But run to help outside the door, Who mend and brighten needed things: He leaves it to good hearts, the Poor! May we, too, wait, Like her, and help, and be compassionate! VII The Spirit is willing aye, But weak the flesh put on; Deadly the Cross`s weight; He stumbles on a stone, And lies upon the road, Seeing His Body`s blood. May we Forget not in these times that agony! VIII Heavy the Cross is: He drags beneath its beam, Yet, Women of Jerusalem, Weep not for Him: Weep for your children, rather, For that they cannot see The true Son of David, The Saviour, shown ye. O Lord, Also to us say the revealing word! IX The skull-shaped hill is near: The earth and heaven are bare Of light, and sight, and sound; He falls upon the ground, Knowing that journey`s end Without one to befriend. O Lord Bring us to Life according to Thy word! X "Wouldst have me share this cloth, Dividing it with sword? Nay, fellow, we will keep it whole, But hearken to my word: Behind the Cross the dice We`ll throw; who wins will get What`s high enough in price To pay a tavern debt." The vesture that makes one with Thee our soul, May we keep whole! XI "This thong, I know, will last; Draw out the arm and make it fast; Through hand and board with strength Drive the nail of mickle length. Now, King of the Jews, in the sun, Gape, for our work is done." God send That our labours have no evil end! XII The birds are flying home, Now darkened is the sky, And He hath given up With that great bitter cry The ghost, and on the Cross (His Mother stays by it), The title rightly His, KING is writ. May we draw near Considering in our hearts what Man is here! XIII Though pitiful it is to see The wounds, the broken Body, (The Body of Him that was As fair as lily of the grass!) Though the brow with thorns is riven, And a spear through the side is driven, It was all for our healing done, Mother, by thy Son! May we This Body in its glory come to see! XIV Now in the tomb is laid Who had neither house nor hall, Who in the wide world walked, And talked with one and all; Who told the sparrow`s worth, The lily`s praises said, Who kept wakeful in the garden Now in the tomb is laid. His Spirit still doth move On a new way of love! L`ENVOI Prince, by thine own darkened hour, Live within me, heart and brain; Let my hands not slip the rein! Ah, how long ago the hour Since a comrade rode with me: Now, a moment, let me see Thyself, lonely in the dark, Perfect, without wound nor mark!
Source

The script ran 0.002 seconds.