Yeast – a poem for the Annunciation

An hour ere the angel came, the maid was baking bread;

She mixed the yeast with water that the household might be fed.

In the streets outside the window the women raised a cry,

As they bound a group of “brigands” and led them out to die.

–

An hour ere the angel came, for fear of friend and foe,

The doors were locked and barred when Mary mixed the yeast with dough,

While tricksters for amusement cruel did lead the blind astray,

And soldiers robbed a beggar-child to supplement their pay.

–

An hour ere the angel came, the poor in filth did die;

The cynical seducer with his neighbour’s wife did lie.

With all the grief of children lost the women sobbed and wailed,

While those who bore the crosses ‘neath that burden fell and failed.

–

A minute ere the angel came, one kept the labourer’s hire,

And infants died as human shields in war’s most bitter ire;

And lies were told upon the roofs and spite behind closed doors,

And God’s law seemed but a burden imposed to suffering cause.

–

A moment ere the angel came, when Mary sat alone,

Where wailing cries arose, “Is mercy in destruction shown?”

The crosses stark upon the mount told an oppressor’s might,

But neighbour cheated neighbour sore at morn and noon and night.

–

When Mary sat with burning heart in gladness and dismay,

Still on the roads the mothers mourned and still the lies held sway,

And the angel parted from her and she was alone indeed,

And the cries of those they crucified did sow but bloody seed.

            While, within her, unseen, silent, cells of the Son divide:

The yeast that leavens all the world till it with God abide.

Cherry Foster

Replaced

O Lord, why sendst Thou not from Heav’n Thy coal?

Dost Thou not know the nurse the babe forgot?

Didst Thou ascend to leave us unto Sheol,

Sheddest Thou Thy Blood to leave us here distraught?

–

We are lost ghosts, dispersoned and unfree,

Whom Thou didst give Thy Blood and Life to aid,

When we would come, who seek our help in Thee,

The way is shut before our eyes dismayed.

–

We are usurped – our name and touch denied,

Instead – not for and with – Thy stewards bar,

Hast Thou no blessing kept?  For us provide?

Why lettest them hold us from Thee afar?

–

Thou whom hast called by name and owned each one,

Restore to us our personhood defaced,

Ourselves in worship taste the Father’s Son,

Our eyes, and not another’s, see the Christ.

Cherry Foster

Easter in Purple?

Exult, O let the Hosts of Heaven exult,

He rises in the face of death’s assult,

The angel blasts prove evil was in vain.

Ye thunderers, shout!  The Lamb hell’s gate hath burst,

Man at His call hath passed out from that worst,

To cross the gulf away from Egypt’s chain.

–

But how shall Earth, or e’en the Church rejoice,

And here that vict’ry hymn with joyful voice,

Where from Life’s feast we turned from fear of plague,

Our earthly food and earthly life have kept,

While all that he hath given yet reject,

Behind the bloodless posts we yet have strayed.

–

It is not that I here unworthy stand,

But yet unfit, who fail all His command,

His rising to deny at Caesar’s threat.

Of unclean lips amongst the unclean lips,

Would we yet come to Him in such eclipse?

In words affirm what we in act reject?

–

O, shall we pray that God be with the Church,

Who leave the people in dismay to search,

For life in that which life can never grant,

Shall we our hearts lift to our rising Lord,

Who have with death supposed Him in accord,

And face to face with Life His name recant?

–

It yet is right, and it is yet still just,

Repentant of betrayal and mistrust,

To yet proclaim the Father and the Son,

The Lamb who died would have us seek to Him,

E’en mired deep in such betrayal and sin,

The altar’s fire he yet would send again.

–

Thy Blood enough, and Thy renewed Life more,

Than all that we can do to Thee abjure,

The debt is paid if we would have it so.

The record of what hath been need not be,

To Him, not from Him, we may choose to flee,

And know His Blood that which doth Life bestow.

–

This yet the night Thou didst lead Israel forth,

And passing through the sea did come to birth,

The fire of judgement led them out from wrong.

As wayward wanderers they of sin did die,

And yet Thou pitiest and didst yet stay nigh,

O suffer none to aught but Thee belong.

–

This still the night that sets an end to strife,

Grant who profess yet grace to live Thy Life,

That when we fear it is to Thee we turn,

Restore us from our lost, sin-darkened minds,

To look for hope in Thee and Thy commands,

That from Thy Glory we take light, not harm.

–

This yet the night that Thou didst break death’s pow’r,

This yet the night Thou hades didst devour,

And even over COVID are yet Lord,

What should we gain from birth but bitter end,

If Thou didst not e’vn to the hell decend,

What love is this that we have so abhored?

–

Yet there has been no fault that we have done,

Not Adam’s fall, nor killing of Thy Son,

That hath Thy glory not enhanced at last.

The fault against Thee stands but in our will,

As Thou didst raise to Life what we did kill,

The good Thou bringst from wrong is what stands fast.

–

O truly blessed night! O night that brings,

In victory from hell the King of kings,

The Groom is come to meet His waiting Bride,

This night more bright than e’er the day hath been

Dispels all faults, and makes the wicked clean,

And casts all unjust powers from their pride.

–

O innocence and sanctity restored!

O gift of faith to those whom Thee abjured,

Let us again rejoice to own Thee here,

O let the wax drawn out by sister bees,

Be in true faith an off’ring that may please,

That we may follow and be free from fear.

–

O flame divided and yet never dimmed,

O lamp with oil full, with fragrance brimmed,

O still be burning when the victor comes,

O daystar that will never, never set,

O grant that we should never Thee forget,

And this life’s work yet order to our hymns.

–

Exult, O let the Hosts of heaven exult,

He comes the Victor from death’s grim assult,

And with rejoicing, Earth, O answer them,

Cry out in joy – though evil doth its worst,

The gates of hell do yet before Him burst,

Before His face is our accuser dumb!

Cherry Foster

Why hast Thou brought us to the wilderness to die?

Why hast Thou brought us to the wilderness to die?

But not with lack of faith, dear Lord, would we speak thus,

But rather at our last extreme for help would cry,

Who know not why Thou shouldst Thine own with grief oppress.

Why hast Thou brought us to the wilderness to die?

–

Were there no graves in Egypt?  No oppression there?

That rather we must fall at our own people’s hand,

At panic at the death at which we do despair

We slay our own loved children at our own command.

Were there no graves in Egypt?  No oppression there?

–

O why, O Lord, didst Thou us bring away to starve?

The firstfruits of Thy Land stand years and miles away,

Thou dost the manna take by which Thou didst preserve,

That we in weakness are become each demon’s prey.

O why, O Lord, didst Thou us bring away to starve?

–

Why dost Thou let us die in agony of thirst?

Eternal rock!  Who gavest Thy very self for drink,

And let’st us perish whom Thine awful death hath nursed,

Wherefore shouldst Thou from our now loving touch thus shrink?

Why dost Thou let us die in agony of thirst?

–

Thou art yet faithful, God, though we know not Thy plan,

O turn, remember: e’en the dead Thy power hast freed,

We die by grief because to trust Thee we began,

And still to Thee and not the grass-fed calf would plead.

Thou art yet faithful, God, though we know not Thy plan.

Cherry Foster