Friday, February 26, 2010

Poetry Friday

 

A stunning poem by Fr. Thomas Merton for the season of Lent, with a big tip of the hat to Fr. S, for posting it last week

When, in the dark, the frost cracks on the window
The children awaken, and whisper.
One says the moonlight grated like a skate
Across the freezing river.
Another hears the starlight breaking like a knifeblade
Upon the silent, steelbright pond.
They say the trees are stiller than the frozen water
From waiting for a shouting light, a heavenly message.
 
Yet it is far from Christmas, when a star
Sang in the pane, as brittle as their innocence!
For now the light of early Lent
Glitters upon the icy step -
"We have wept letters to our patron saints,
(The children say) yet slept before they ended."
 
Oh, is there in this night no sound of strings, of singers!
None coming from the wedding, no, nor
Bridegroom's messenger?
(The sleepy virgins stir, and trim their lamps.)
The moonlight rings upon the ice as sudden as a
footstep;
Starlight clinks upon the dooryard stone, too like a
latch,
And the children are again, awake,
And all call out in whispers to their guardian angels.

~~~~~

The roundup today is at Check It Out.

7 comments:

Janet said...

What a wonderful feeling of anticipation this poem gives!

jama said...

So lovely! "the frost cracks on the window" "Starlight clinks upon the dooryard stone"

Thanks for sharing this. :)

all things poetry said...

Lots of great imagery here. I like:

They say the trees are stiller than the frozen water

Laura Evans

Sweetness and Light said...

Beautiful!

Mary Lee said...

I love the idea of calling out in whispers to my guardian angel!

Sherry said...

Thanks. You don't read too many poems set during Lent.

I thought since you enjoy poetry that I'd invite you to contribute your list of favorite poems to my survey. Read more about it here: http://www.semicolonblog.com/?p=9520

laurasalas said...

Oh, I love these lines:

Another hears the starlight breaking like a knifeblade
Upon the silent, steelbright pond.

So many great sounds of winter in here. Thank you!