Advent III - Tuesday

“Mary's Song”

Blue homespun and the bend of my breast

keep warm this small hot naked star

fallen to my arms. (Rest...

you who have had so far

to come.) Now nearness satisfies

the body of God sweetly. Quiet he lies

whose vigor hurled

a universe. He sleeps

whose eyelids have not closed before.

His breath (so slight it seems

no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps

to sprout a world.

Charmed by doves' voices, the whisper of straw,

he dreams,

hearing no music from his other spheres.

Breath, mouth, ears, eyes

he is curtailed

who overflowed all skies,

all years.

Older than eternity, now he

is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed

to my poor planet, caught that I might be free,

blind in my womb to know my darkness ended,

brought to this birth

for me to be new-born,

and for him to see me mended

I must seen him torn.

Luci Shaw, Accompanied by Angels: Poems of the Incarnation

Questions to ponder:

What are your earliest memories of Mary, the mother of Jesus?

This poem has many beautiful and remarkable images. Which image stands out to you and why?

Have you ever thought about Jesus dreaming? What do you think he dreamt about?