Mother of Him we call the Christ,
No halo round thy brows we paint,-
Incense and prayer we offer not,
Nor mind to title thee as saint.
And yet, no woman’s name,-of all
With honour from the ages sent,-
Mary, is aureoled like thine,
With love and grief and glory blent!
Oh wisely was it that He chose,-
Who the unwritten future reads,-
To teach the after-world, through thee,
What cherishers Messiah needs.
Thou heard’st the angel’s prophecy,-
The tidings which the shepherds brought,-
Anna and Simeon praising God,-
And saw’st that star the Wise Men sought!
Ah, who of us could bear,-like thee,-
With meekness, God’s triumphal light;
Then,-still believing,-with His Charge,-
At midnight take an exile’s flight?
Throughout the Son’s long helplessness
His good was to thine own preferred;
May we so serve; and still, like Thee,
Stand back to let His voice be heard!
Dispenser once of earthly things,
Thy Best-Beloved thou didst see;
God’s hands for others blessing-full,-
Could we be poor and glad like thee?
Soul-pierced with sword-like agony,-
Not felon’s taunt nor soldier’s jest;
Beside the God-forsaken Cross,
Could drive thee from it like the rest.
Christ’s banner thou alone didst hold
In face of all His foes displayed;
Valiant through all defeat,-and but
Heart-stricken that He was betrayed.
Ah, Mary! Could we stand, like thee,
Steadfast; and watch the vowed depart;
And grieve for their defection less
Than for the Saviour’s wounded heart?
How must the God,-who favour set
On David once and kingly Saul,-
And yet foresaw their wanderings,
And loved them through and after all-
How must He seal the prophecy,
Declaring thee forever blest,
Whose whole life showed thy worthiness
Of that pure Child thine arms had pressed!
O single-hearted one to kiss
The lifeless and dishonored head,
Fondly as when its baby brow,
By angel wings was canopied!
O self-forgetful, to rejoice
For that Heaven’s entrance had been found
By the Beloved: thou content
Thenceforth, alone to close life’s round!
In the bright future,-sure, though far,-
Again, as once, the wide air rings
With praise to Christ!-Thy vigil ends,
Meek daughter of a hundred kings!
Virgin, may we partake thy joy,
When Heaven and loyal earth shall lay
At the pierced feet of David’s son
A crown He will not put away!
(Mary Hannay Foott)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Life Poems, Light Poems, Sadness Poems, Faces Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Christianity Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Jesus Christ Poems, Sons Poems, Wisdom & Knowledge PoemsBased on Keywords: simeon, heart-stricken, best-beloved, god-forsaken, single-hearted, self-forgetful, sword-like, dispenser, defection, after-world, god-who