Rosary
By John Still - Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA - 3 December 2016
Joyful
Angel announced hail Favored One
Chosen to bear God’s only Son
With her assent, as Luke attests
All generations call her blessed
Into the hills in those first days
She hastened on in song of praise
Her soul proclaimed the Word she kept
In cousin’s womb the Infant leapt
For census count they traveled there
To David’s town, no bed to spare
In meager place the Child was born
As star led forth three kings adorned
Now purified the custom’s way
Presented Child where Anna stay
At last at peace, old man adored
Foretold the pain, heart pierced by sword
Three days of grief gave way to joy
As scholars heard how wise the boy
Reunion held, sweet bitter sign
In heart she kept these things Divine
Luminous
Baptized by John when Son was grown
God’s voice rang out, pleased with His Own
With Spirit there in form of dove
The Mighty Three below, above
The wedding feast saw His first sign
At her request, the water wine
The gift bestowed on all that day
Was mother’s love to lead the way
John’s role fulfilled, his journey done
Decrease he must for rise of Son
Proclaims His Kingdom now at hand
Eternal life, New Promised Land
A chosen few would see the sight
Of raiment rays as sun so bright
Elijah, Moses at His side
As old turns new and change of tide
Last Paschal meal, first of its kind
In substance changed the bread and wine
First Eucharist, Good Friday Eve
Do this, He said, remember Me
Sorrowful
The calm of night and hush of sound
Belie the storm on garden ground
His dread and fear in torrents flood
In agony, His sweat as blood
With verdict in, began the dirge
To pillar strapped, absorbed the scourge
Flesh ripped from bone, His blood in flow
Release of sin with each new blow
Relentless pain, another stage
Their hatred blind exhausts its rage
The brutal lash evolves to scorn
Laughs sharp as spears and crown of thorn
Then beam they placed upon His back
Cross carried forth upon whip’s crack
As path to hill begins to rise
Her pain reflected in His eyes
Pierced hands and feet nailed to the cross
One thief is saved, the other lost
With broken heart as few look on
She says goodbye, her Child is gone
Glorious
When they arrived first light, third day
Saw tomb in place, stone rolled away
Defeat of death brought glory’s reign
Eternal life the soul reclaimed
He led them to the mountain top
Where walk on earth would reach its stop
As time with them approached an end
They watched with joy the Son ascend
In prayer they wait for Heaven’s Guide
Then roar like wind and souls collide
All understood the language heard
Now Spirit filled, they spread the Word
Assumption Feast, Saints welcome in
To Heaven’s home, She Without Sin
Reunion now, unlike the past
Mother and Son forever last
Through Heaven’s Gate, procession seen
Angels and Saints all hail the Queen
No longer bound by time and space
Mother to all, no foreign place