25 Poems of Christmas: December 7

I have taken a few days off, but here is one fo the Vigil of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  This was written in the 15t century as a lyric, but the original musical setting did not survive.   I 

have it here  in the original Middle English because if you ever hear it sung these are the word that you will hear. when I was in college I had to read in Middle English.  Now there's a skill I've put to good use over the years!

I Sing of a Maiden

20

I sing of a maiden That is makeles: King of alle kinges To her sone she chees. He cam also stille Ther his moder was As dewe in Aprille That falleth on the gras. He cam also stille To his modres bowr As dewe in Aprille That falleth on the flowr. He cam also stille Ther his moder lay As dewe in Aprille That falleth on the spray. Moder and maiden Was nevere noon but she: Wel may swich a lady Godes moder be.

25 Poems of Christmas: December 4

Theis is one of the three great songs of praise in the first chapters of Luke, uttered by 

Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.  Zechariah was serving his priestly duty and had been chosen to burn the incense within the sanctuary.  While doing so an angel appeared to him and talk him that his barren wife would soon be expecting a child and that he would be a fore-runner of the Messiah. Of course, he should have know better, being a priest and a scholar, after all, but he couldn't restrain himself and he challenged the angel's words.  His song of praise indicates that he is healed.

The Benedictus

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, 
because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us 
in the house of his servant David 
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 
salvation from our enemies 
and from the hand of all who hate us— 
to show mercy to our ancestors 
and to remember his holy covenant, 
the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, 
and to enable us to serve him without fear 
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; 
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 
to give his people the knowledge of salvation 
through the forgiveness of their sins, 
because of the tender mercy of our God, 
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 
to shine on those living in darkness 
and in the shadow of death, 
to guide our feet into the path of peace.


-Luke 1:68-79

25 Poems of Christmas: December 2

Yes, this is actually a poem of Hanukkah, on this the Second Day of the Festival of Lights.  I really like this poem, which was written in Hebrew in the 13th Century.  Now you can say , "Why, yes, I know 13th Century Hebrew poetry.  Doesn't everyone?" 

Click on the title to visit the corresponding page of the Poetry Foundation.   Happy Hanukkah friends!  

Rock of My Salvation

BY MORDECAI BEN ISAAC

Mighty, praised beyond compare,

Rock of my salvation,

Build again my house of prayer,

For Thy habitation!

Offering and libation, shall a ransomed nation

Joyful bring

There, and sing

Psalms of Dedication!

Woe was mine in Egypt-land,

(Tyrant kings enslaved me);

Till Thy mighty, out-stretched Hand

From oppression saved me.

Pharaoh, rash pursuing, vowed my swift undoing—

Soon, his host

That proud boast

’Neath the waves was rueing!

To Thy Holy Hill, the way

Madest Thou clear before me;

With false gods I went astray—

Foes to exile bore me.

Torn from all I cherished, almost had I perished—

Babylon fell,

   Ze-ru-ba-bel

Badest Thou to restore me!

Then the vengeful Haman wrought

Subtly, to betray me;

In his snare himself he caught—

He that plann’d to slay me.

(Haled from Esther’s palace; hanged on his own gallows!)

Seal and ring

Persia’s king

Gave Thy servant zealous.

When the brave Asmonéans broke

Javan’s chain in sunder,

Through the holy oil, Thy folk

Didst Thou show a wonder—

Ever full remained the vessel unprofanèd;

These eight days,

Lights and praise,

Therefore were ordainèd.

Lord, Thy Holy Arm make bare,

Speed my restoration;

Be my martyr’s blood Thy care—

Judge each guilty nation.

Long is my probation; sore my tribulation—

Bid, from Heaven,

Thy shepherds seven

Haste to my salvation!

TRANSLATED BY SOLOMON SOLIS-COHEN

25 Poems of Christmas: December 1

Happy Advent Everyone!   I think.   I used to keep a notebook of poems that I especially liked, but I lost it on the day of my mom's funeral.  I had several Christmas favorites.  Last year around this time I noticed that there are far more Christmas-themed poems than Easter-themed poems.  Also, more winter than spring.  I am not sure why that is, but I will consider that carefully while I share with you a poem a day until Christmas. Click the title to visit the Poetry Foundation homepage; a great site for poetry geeks.

Advent

BY MARY JO SALTER

Wind whistling, as it does   

in winter, and I think   

nothing of it until

it snaps a shutter off

her bedroom window, spins   

it over the roof and down

to crash on the deck in back,   

like something out of Oz.

We look up, stunned—then glad

to be safe and have a story,   

characters in a fable   

we only half-believe.

Look, in my surprise

I somehow split a wall,   

the last one in the house

we’re making of gingerbread.   

We’ll have to improvise:   

prop the two halves forward

like an open double door   

and with a tube of icing   

cement them to the floor.

Five days until Christmas,

and the house cannot be closed.   

When she peers into the cold

interior we’ve exposed,   

she half-expects to find   

three magi in the manger,

a mother and her child.   

She half-expects to read   

on tablets of gingerbread

a line or two of Scripture,   

as she has every morning   

inside a dated shutter

on her Advent calendar.   

She takes it from the mantel   

and coaxes one fingertip

under the perforation,   

as if her future hinges

on not tearing off the flap

under which a thumbnail picture   

by Raphael or Giorgione,   

Hans Memling or David

of apses, niches, archways,   

cradles a smaller scene   

of a mother and her child,

of the lidded jewel-box   

of Mary’s downcast eyes.   

Flee into Egypt, cries

the angel of the Lord   

to Joseph in a dream,

for Herod will seek the young

child to destroy him. While   

she works to tile the roof   

with shingled peppermints,

I wash my sugared hands   

and step out to the deck   

to lug the shutter in,

a page tom from a book   

still blank for the two of us,   

a mother and her child.

Beauty News You can do Without

There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.
Benjamin Franklin 


I just read this article about female beauty  written by Amy Aikon, from the most recent issue of Psychology Today. This just bothered me on so many levels.  Lacking time I will just make a couple of points.  I hope you all read it and let me know what you think.


This is the magazine's cover story this month, which would suggest a new or profound insight into the human mind.  So what is the great revelation? That men prefer good-looking women, while women don't place as much emphasis on appearance? Huh? Is this really some sort of taboo subject?   Taboo among who?  I must be missing something because it is  not a recent discovery that men are visual and that pretty girls attract the most attention.  In theory this would give them the best selection of "mates", setting aside any personality or up-bringing issues which would influence their success with men. But beyond this, Aikon suggests, that character, intelligence, and decency-- "inner beauty"--  counts for zilch if a woman isn't beautiful.  .


 "While we wish things were different, we'd best accept the ugly reality: No man will turn his head to ogle a woman because she looks like the type to buy a turkey sandwich for a homeless man or read to the blind."  




Okay,  let's take a sensible step away from evolutionary-psychology-world.  Down here on the ground there are a lot of men who are married,  happily married, to homely women.  Some of them were never particularly pretty, and yet managed to attract their husbands.  Most women though, however lovely in youth,  come to that point where they eventually succumb to the pressures of age, gravity and cookies(me too, particularly the cookies part!). Despite some alleged internal evolutionary drive to seek out a better looking wife, their husbands love them and are faithful to them.  After all, they possess all manner of gifts and virtues which make them desirable life companions.  They are witty, intelligent, cheerful, astute businesswomen, good cooks, and enthusiastic lovers.  And their husbands are very happy. All of these good things do not mean nothing simply because there are younger, prettier, better-groomed gals out there.  


Aikon positions herself in this article as the voice of reason against impractical "feminist" ideas.  In fact Aikon seems to take a pretty dim of view of men, glossed over with a veneer of science.  Consider if a similar article by a male writer had urged men to step up their earnings lest their wives start eying the guy next door who's got a new deck or shiny SUV.  What?! How dare he suggest that women are only interested in a man's ability to support her! He would be considered a misogynist. However, in some circles (not Aikon's, clearly) men actually grow up and learn to treat women like fellow human beings.  The women in their lives recognize this, developing everything good and human in themselves in response.  This is not feminism, its adulthood.


I was also disturbed  by the authors "mean girl" tone throughout the article.  


"Note to the menopausal painted doll: Troweled on makeup doesn't make you look younger; it makes you look like an aging drag queen."


Nice. Seventh grade all over again. 


Personally, I think I prefer this beauty advice as I advance into middle age:


Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverb 31:30-31

I am joining this with Gae from Cherished Hearts at Home because I was inspired by my blog-friend Allana at All is Amazing.  I am now home full-time and I am experiencing the Parkinson's Law effect of housework.  Not that I was efficiently plowing through all of my tasks when I was still employed, there were just things that I never did (cleaning out closets, volunteering at my sons' schools) or that I paid someone else to do for me (iron dh's shirts). Now I am determined to draw my focus back to home so that I can make our family life more peaceful.  These are my areas to concentrate on this week:


1. Meal planning: my Waterloo of domestic life.  I have avoided conquering this challenge once and for all for years.  I want to work on this both in anticipation of the holidays and in order to save more on groceries.

2. Thank-you notes for all of the folks who reached out to us at Mom's passing.  I really should have done these already.


3. Kitchen drawers and closet need attention.


4. It's time to put together a Christmas list.  This year it will be especially necessary. 


5. Scheduling my regular chores so I can make more time for fun with Rob and the kids! 

November Daybook musings

Outside my window... The most glorious fall day you could imagine.  We have had three in a row, now.  Healing balm against February's gray rain!

I am thinking... of how unfair it is that my hair is going gray while my face is still breaking out!

I am thankful for...  my children's teachers and all they do for their students.  

Pondering these words...  “Teach your mouth to say that which you have in your heart.” Abba Poemen, from  Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

From the kitchen...  three-bean turkey chili, pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese frosting, 

I am wearing...  jeans, a black turtleneck a blue short-sleeve sweater, and my cowboy boots

I am remembering...   both my Mom and the parents of two friends who passed to their reward in the last months.  Also especially remembering all the Souls who went before us this month.

I am going...to a get-together tonight in honor of my good friend, Tina, cancer survivor and all-around class act! 

I am reading... Priestblock 25487 by Jean Bernard. Harrowing description of concentration camp life.

I am hearing...a classical guitar something on Pandora Radio.  

I am hoping...  to get to confession this weekend.

On my mind...  our monthly budget. Halloween may be over, but the real fright fest has just begun!
I am creating... an afghan for my husband.  It is a giant forest green granny square.  With luck and busy fingers I will be done by Christmas.

A few plans for the rest of the week...soccer practices, a birthday party,  a visit to the park, two lovely days off from school for the younger kids, father's weekend at our son's school. 

One of my favorite things... my husbands' homemade wine: grease for the sandy gears of family life.


Thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook for expanding my world with this simple and wonderful exercise in appreciating all the good little things in my life.