POEMS FOR THE CHRISTIAN YEAR
by
MARIANNE DORMAN
ADVENT
MARY LET US FOLLOW YOU
AND WAIT IN EXPECTATION,
FOR THE COMING OF THE SAVIOUR
WHO HERALDS OUR SALVATION.
MARY LET US FOLLOW YOU
AND LEARN THE DISCIPLE'S WAY,
TO DISCERN THE WORD OF GOD
AND PONDER IT IN OUR HEARTS.
THEN LIKE MARY WE SHALL KNOW
THAT WE MUST LIVE EACH DAY,
IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR COMING
TO CLAIM YOUR EVERLASTING KINGDOM.
M.D.
CHRIST MASS
Little Jesu we greet you
With the angels and shepherds;
On this happy morn,
As the blessed Mother looks on you,
With her love.
Fill our hearts with compassion
For the poor, sick and lonely;
As this is the very best gift
We can bring you this day,
Apart from our love. M.D.
THE JOURNEY
(poem written for Christmass 2005)
A census was a coming,
disturbing the pattern of living
for families hastily returning
to their ancestral abodes
to obey the Emperor's command.
"Must we go now?" said Mary,
"Yes, we must," insisted Joseph,
Even though it was the worst time
(for Mary was about to give birth).
A hard time they had of it,
A long journey,
A wearing journey,
To Bethlehem for Caesar's taxes.
This paying of taxes
overshadowed,
or perhaps you might say,
brought into perspective,
with the birth of a babe.
Out of Bethlehem-Ephratah will come
He to rule the earth.
Christmass is about a birth
the messianic birth
but birth too for creatures
awaken from dark, wooden sleep.
Deo Gratias.
Venite adoremus. M.D.
Bells of Bethlehem silenced,
no heralding the Birth
this Christmass
Disrupted by angry shouts and shots.
Shrieking cries startle
the starless night
from the bewildered.
Alleyways their home.
No child to cradle this Christmass.
The stars sigh
remembering
the One born long ago
in Bethlehem.
They know His birth was special,
Unique you might say,
To cry with the bereaved,
to comfort the wounded,
to mend the broken hearted.
To turn confusion into harmony,
bitterness into forgiveness,
hatred into love.
Bells will not ring this Christmass
yet the angels still will sing
'Gloria in excelsis Deo
et in terra pax
hominibus bonae voluntatis.'
Let Christians everywhere
echo the angels' song
for bells to ring again
in Bethlehem.
M.D.
BELLS OF BETHLEHEM - written Xmass 2004.
Another Christmas
is dawning,
in a world ignoring,
dismissive of values
of dignity and worth.
The prophet cries
can this continue?
Do you not see?
This very way
all will be devalued.
Why have you
forgotten the One
Who entered your world
To bring dignity to all.
But the world answers,
We do not need You
for we have our hope
in our materialism,
in our consumerism,
in our consolidated wealth.
.
Who gives a thought
to how we came here
Here we are, and here
we have plenty to enjoy,
without thought of how?
Fool, says the prophet
The day comes,
you called to account
by the One Who came
to show you the way,
born in a lowly stable
in a Bethlehem inn.
M.D.
A LITTLE CHILD WILL LEAD US.
Morning breaks.
Pale streaks
outline women.
hurrying,
intent.
Why so early?
Why so quickly?
Why so intently?
Look they are heading
for the new-hewn tomb
where the crucified was laid;
With baskets of herbs
Fresh from the garden.
There breaks a yet more glorious day
For all our blessed dead
Of a gorgeous, glorious sunray
Filling the heavenly abode.
Here in the celestial Jerusalem
There is no more sorrow,
Neither sighing nor weeping
In the blessed Jesu's presence.
To us plodding this earthly tread
Sweet Jesu, O most sweet Jesu,
Pour out your compassion on us
As we remember our blessed dead.
Be also our comfort and companion
At death's daunting moment,
When you call us and bid us home
o join our beloved dead.
Here we shall sing our Alleluias
With all the heavenly hosts
And cast our crowns before thee
Lost in wonder, love and praise. M.D.
.
A POEM FOR OUR BLESSED DEAD
They stop!
Shock! Amazement!
crowd their faces.
Voices echo through the silence
He is not here but risen.
Could it be true?
Remember! Remember!
What the Master taught:
He had to die
To conquer death.
Yes, yes, He is alive!
Alive for ever!
What news to tell,
What joys to share,
Death has no more sting.
M.D.
MARY.
That two
syllable word
stifled her weeping.
Could it be true?
Not the gardener
but my Master.
What joys surged!
What delights feels her heart!
She raises her hand to . EMBRACE
Mary not now!
A more important task
I need of you.
Tell the disciples what you see.
I am alive!
I have arisen
And shall ascend to my Father
and their Father too.
As Mary hastened,
she sung in here heart,
'I have seen the Lord,'
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
M.D.
Climb to my holy mountain
and view my world
fractured by violence and hate,
motivated by indifference and selfishness.
Come.
What can I do?
Live by My words of love and peace,
To shine in this darkened world
That my way gives life.
Come, Lord come!
M.D.
ADVENT 2006
Watch! You bid me
for every hour,
for every minute,
to await your return.
Marantha.
What if you find me asleep?
Especially in that deep sleep of sin
that neglects your command to love
without ever counting the cost.
Marantha.
O Sapienta
Instruct us in the paths of knowledge,
in the wisdom of
Your eternal Word.
O Adonai,
Lead us to the burning bush
and cheerfully accept
Your laws of righteousness.
O Radix Jesse
Teach us that we can shelter
under the shadow of your wings
in this vale of tears.
O Clavis David
Loosen our tyranny of sin
Give us repentant hearts
to turn completely to you.
O Oriens,
Enlighten our minds
to the many injustices committed
in our war-torn world.
O Rex Gentium
Rule all peoples
whom You have made
from a piece of clay.
O Virgo Virginum
The lily among the bramble,
Direct us to your beloved Son,
Born on Christmass Day.
Rejoice all with the angels
on this holy night,
Gloria in excelsis deo
at in terra pax hominbus et bonae voluntatis. M.D
O Immanuel,
Abide with us
As we wait in faith and prayer
for Your birth in Bethlehem.
Awake my love!
Arise and learn of me
this holy Adventide
that for redemption of this world
I came.
PENTECOST
The Holy Spirit came like lightning
Electrifying the air.
Mary with the disciples
quivered with its intensity.
Jesus had promised
Not to leave them desolate
That He would always be
present amongst them.
This was overpowering
ravaging and convulsing them
into men of intense fire
for their beloved Master.
Overbrimming with ecstasy
Peter proclaimed this new life
Awaiting all who listened
On the day of Pentecost.
It is only this power
that enables us to love
to comfort and encourage
and discern right from wrong.
Breathe of me then,
dear breath of God
and fill me overflowing
with your divine spirit. M.D.
INCOGNITO
You came unannounced
save for angels’ delight;
no majestic entrance
onto this world’s stage.
Only Mary and Joseph knew
the Child born that night
was destined to lead
people on a different path.
A path not strewn with gold
but with words of salvation;
a path not leading to power
but to the kingdom of heaven.
Only those with ears to hear
the angels’ bursting delight
with truth and sincerity
kneel in pure adoration.
ADOREMUS.
M.D.
Mary why weepest thou so?
Those hot bitter tears
so early in the morning.
I seek my dearest Rabbouni,
Where is his body?
I want so much to anoint.
In her blurred vision
The gardener she perceived,
Tell me where He is?
Mary, Mary, dear Mary,
Rabbouni! You are alive!
O happy the thought.
Her happiness overflowing
she reaches out to touch,
to hold, to embrace once again.
No, no, Mary, you must not,
I have a more important task
you are to be my apostle too.
I want you to tell my disciples
I ascend to my Father and yours,
My God and yours.
“I have seen the Lord!”
Mary blurted to the disciples.
He is not dead but alive! M.D.
