Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Thinking of angels


Oh, do not try to make it ordinary
or even think of credibility -
this visitation by the angel
or many
to shepherds in their freezing fields
or Mary -
no: I see hosts of snowy wings
descending in impossible sweeps
of power, I see
faces taut and gleaming, and those
piercing eyes that penetrate the soul
so that breath fails, and when it
passes there remains a vacuum -
and perhaps just a single
                                          shining
                                                       feather.


©C.M.M. 12/11


Dedicated to the choir of St Thomas, Fifth Avenue, for their singing of A Babe is Born (Matthias)

5 comments:

  1. You have taken my breath away ...

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  2. I love this poem and have written about it at deargodthisiskelley.com.
    Please read. God bless!

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  3. Broad said it first. This is breath-taking. The image of a single, shining feather will stay with me.

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  4. Oh my gosh, this is beautiful, Christine. Love it.
    Haven't read poetry much for years, but have started again. Please recommend a few of your favourite contemporary poets for me to start on.
    Wow!

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  5. Anita, welcome! My favourite poet is R.S. Thomas - I feel he's been the biggest influence on me. I also love Larkin, Norman McCaig, Carol Ann Duffy (but not everything of hers), Edwin Morgan (ditto). That do for now? ;-)

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