Amoretti LXVIII: Most Glorious Lord of Life
Edmund Spenser (1552–1599)
Most glorious Lord of life, that on this day,
Didst make thy triumph over death and sin:
And having harrow’d hell, didst bring away
Captivity thence captive, us to win:
This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
And grant that we for whom thou diddest die,
Being with thy dear blood clean wash’d from sin,
May live for ever in felicity.
And that thy love we weighing worthily,
May likewise love thee for the same again:
And for thy sake, that all like dear didst buy,
With love may one another entertain.
So let us love, dear love, like as we ought,
Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.
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| Jesus and Mary Magdalene (c. 1534) Antonio da Corregio source Wikimedia Commons |
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| The Three Marys at the Tomb of Christ (c.1603) Adam Elsheimer source Wikimedia Commons |
** paintings above are The Resurrection of Christ (1565) by Tintoretto & Resurrection of Christ (1875) by Carl Bloch, both on Wikiart. I had so much trouble with this post —- Blogger deleting whole posts, etc. that I’m terrified to touch anything else! Happy Easter everyone!
Thanks to Amanda, here’s the poem in song!
Thanks to Amanda, here’s the poem in song!
Happy Easter!
I don't think I'd ever seen this poem before today, and yet here it is a second time–the choir sang it in church this morning.
Well, I had no idea that it was sung! I've added a Youtube video. Thanks for the heads-up! 🙂 Happy Easter!
What a beautiful poem. On another blog there was a beautiful poem from George Herbert. Both favorite mystical poets.
Easter
by George Herbert
RISE heart ; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise
Without delayes,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With him mayst rise :
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more just.Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
With all thy art.
The crosse taught all wood to resound his name
Who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day.
Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song
Pleasant and long :
Or since all music is but three parts vied,
And multiplied ;
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.
I got me flowers to straw thy way ;
I got me boughs off many a tree :
But thou wast up by break of day,
And brought’st thy sweets along with thee.
I love the paintings you've selected.
Thanks, Sharon, for sharing that. I just recently read a few of Herbert's poems. I can't remember if this one has a form. With the poems of his that I read, they were shaped in a form that was mentioned in them, so, for example, his poem Easter Wings the lines form the shape of wings.
There were quite a number of lovely (and interesting …) poems for Easter! It was hard to choose!
Easter: has an important message and you poem selection was lovely. My memories of Easter… finding a easter basket hidden behind the 'same' chair every year, the first bite into the choc bunny's ears, trembling while I wait at my Polish girlfriend's house b/c their priest makes house calls to bless the ham… it was such a mysterious and magical holiday.
What great memories! I never could bear to eat a bunny if I got one so my mother always had to buy me chocolate eggs. 😉 Easter is very mysterious in that I don't think any of us can really capture or understand what was done for us. I hope that your holiday was a wonderful one! 🙂
Love it, very sobering yet so joyful. Those paintings are beautiful too 🙂
I loved the music to accompany it too. Everything about it is so beautiful! 🙂