Ed.: As is her regular habit, Katie does not disappoint. Thanks Katie!
After the fanfare of the holidays, I always like to jump into as many new projects, books, films and interests as possible to combat the lack of sun during these early winter months. English poet Swinburne is one really engaging writer to explore, with a large body of work. Interestingly, he made up the Greek epigraph in his poem “A Litany”, and it means ‘In heaven I shall hide the shining lights, you shall have seven nights in place of one’ [and the ‘Anth. Sac.’, standing for Anthologia Sacra is something he made up as well].
Another great poem is Scottish poet Robert Burns’ interesting short piece on winter:
Winter: A Dirge
The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
While, tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae;
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.
"The sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast,"
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest's howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!
Thou Power Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfil,
Here firm I rest; they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want—O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!—
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.
A LITANY
FIRST ANTIPHONE
All the bright lights of heavenI will make dark over thee;One night shall be as sevenThat its skirts may cover thee;I will send on thy strong men a sword,On thy remnant a rod;Ye shall know that I am the Lord,Saith the Lord God.
SECOND ANTIPHONE
All the bright lights of heavenThou hast made dark over us;One night has been as sevenThat its skirt might cover us;Thou hast sent on our strong men a sword,On our remnant a rod;We know that thou art the Lord,O Lord our God.
THIRD ANTIPHONE
As the tresses and wings of the windAre scattered and shaken,I will scatter all them that have sinned,There shall none be taken;As a sower that scattereth seed,So will I scatter them;As one breaketh and shattereth a reed,I will break and shatter them.
FOURTH ANTIPHONE
As the wings and the locks of the windAre scattered and shaken,Thou hast scattered all them that have sinned,There was no man taken;As a sower that scattereth seed,So hast thou scattered us;As one breaketh and shattereth a reed,Thou hast broken and shattered us.
FIFTH ANTIPHONE
From all thy lovers that love theeI God will sunder thee;I will make darkness above thee,And thick darkness under thee;Before me goeth a light,Behind me a sword;Shall a remnant find grace in my sight?I am the Lord.
SIXTH ANTIPHONE
From all our lovers that love usThou God didst sunder us;Thou madest darkness above us,And thick darkness under us;Thou hast kindled thy wrath for a light,And made ready thy sword;Let a remnant find grace in thy sight,We beseech thee, O Lord.
SEVENTH ANTIPHONE
Wilt thou bring fine gold for a paymentFor sins on this wise?For the glittering of raimentAnd the shining of eyes,For the painting of facesAnd the sundering of trust,For the sins of thine high placesAnd delight of thy lust?
For your high things ye shall have lowly,Lamentation for song;For, behold, I God am holy,I the Lord am strong;Ye shall seek me and shall not reach meTill the wine-press be trod;In that hour ye shall turn and beseech me,Saith the Lord God.
EIGHTH ANTIPHONE
Not with fine gold for a payment,But with coin of sighs,But with rending of raimentAnd with weeping of eyes,But with shame of stricken facesAnd with strewing of dust,For the sin of stately placesAnd lordship of lust;
With voices of men made lowly,Made empty of song,O Lord God most holy,O God most strong,We reach out hands to reach theeEre the wine-press be trod;We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee,O Lord our God.
NINTH ANTIPHONE
In that hour thou shalt say to the night,Come down and cover us;To the cloud on thy left and thy right,Be thou spread over us;A snare shall be as thy mother,And a curse thy bride;Thou shalt put her away, and anotherShall lie by thy side.
Thou shalt neither rise up by dayNor lie down by night;Would God it were dark! thou shalt say;Would God it were light!And the sight of thine eyes shall be madeAs the burning of fire;And thy soul shall be sorely afraidFor thy soul’s desire.
Ye whom your lords loved well,Putting silver and gold on you,The inevitable hellShall surely take hold on you;Your gold shall be for a token,Your staff for a rod;With the breaking of bands ye are broken,Saith the Lord God.
TENTH ANTIPHONE
In our sorrow we said to the night,Fall down and cover us;To the darkness at left and at right,Be thou shed over us;We had breaking of spirit to motherAnd cursing to bride;And one was slain, and anotherStood up at our side.
We could not arise by day,Nor lie down by night;Thy sword was sharp in our way,Thy word in our sight;The delight of our eyelids was madeAs the burning of fire;And our souls became sorely afraidFor our soul’s desire.
We whom the world loved well,Laying silver and gold on us,The kingdom of death and of hellRiseth up to take hold on us;Our gold is turned to a token,Our staff to a rod;Yet shalt thou bind them up that were broken,O Lord our God.
KathrynCunningham
Kathryn is a retired junior high teacher. A convert with a love for the Church she believes that its teachings have a more than viable application for today's world. She writes practical theological for the people in the pews believing that they have as much right to good catechesis as our youth and converts. Her writings appear on Catholic web sites and local Church publications. She has even been published in the diocese of Australia and most recemtly Zenit. Kathryn holds a Master's in Theology and is a certified spiritual director. Learn more about Kathryn at: www.atravelersview.org