Category Archives: Poetry

King Alfred, the great White Horses, and today’s creeping heathen weeds

In the Anglican tradition – I’m not sure if the Ordinariates pick this up – today King Alfred the Great is commemorated, on the anniversary of his death.  He was a pivotal figure in the history of England, and a … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Poetry | Tagged , , ,
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“Great as no goddess’s Was deemèd, dreamèd”

Today is, in the older Roman calendar, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary.  In the Novus Ordo calendar, this Feast was transferred to mere Memorial status on 22 August.  In the Novus Ordo calendar, 31 May is the Feast … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Solitary Boast, Poetry |
4 Comments

Hurray! It’s Maÿ!

UPDATE 2 May: On a day when we are getting frost warnings from NOAH this comes from a reader, but as I listened I could hear lots of birds out of doors, especially the chicakdees who are chatting… You may/may … Read More

Posted in Linking Back, Poetry | Tagged , , ,
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No Poet at Inauguration 2017

There was no Poetry or Poet Laureate at the Inauguration.  I am pleased.  Do you remember the drivel from May Angelou, the gibberish from Elizabeth Alexander and the rubbish from Richard Blanco? Long gone at the days of a Robert … Read More

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“Learn to love as I love thee.”

Real Epiphany was on 6 January.  In the traditional calendar, however, we are in the Season of Epiphany.  Hence, I’ll go on talking about Epiphany for a while. At one of the blogs I now eagerly follow, A Clerk of Oxford, I … Read More

Posted in Christmas and Epiphany, Poetry |
2 Comments

Martinmas!

Today is, along with Veteran’s Day, and Remembrance Day, and Armistice Day, also St. Martin’s Day, that is, the Feast of St. Martin of Tour.  It is Martinmas, which in many places marked the end of the harvest. St. Martin is … Read More

Posted in Poetry, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged , ,
12 Comments

“In pensive mood I trod My garden plot one day;…”

Autumn Sighs By Cyril Robert In pensive mood I trod My garden plot one day; October’s smile was weary so! It’s green was gloomy gray. Where are the strains of summer gone? Its sun the livelong day? With sudden sadness … Read More

Posted in Our Solitary Boast, Poetry | Tagged , , , ,
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I say that we are wound With mercy round and round

This year Good Friday fell on 25 March, and thus the Feast of the Annunciation was transferred to today, Monday after Sunday “in albis“, after the close of the Easter Octave.  On 25 March, I posted the John Donne poem “Upon the … Read More

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5 Comments

Lady Day and Good Friday – Of the Angels’ ‘Ave’ and the ‘Consummatum est’.

Today, 25 March 2016, is simultaneously the Feast of the Annunciation and Good Friday.  Liturgically we celebrate the Annunciation later. In ancient times there was a tradition that Christ died on the 8th day before the Kalends of April: 25 March. … Read More

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18 Comments

The Blessed Virgin compared to the Air we Breathe

Fr. Hopkins (a Jesuit!) wrote this as a May offering for Mary in 1883, but I think it fits well today, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is also a good poem for the day that is simultaneously Immaculate Conception … Read More

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , ,
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