Maude
Carolan Pych
My friend, Sister Jane Abeln, SMIC, is a fellow member of the North Jersey Christian Writers Group. In 1965 she wrote the following Easter poem. She brought it to this month's meeting for critique by our group, then made a few changes and sent it to me to post on this blog. It's very musical and meaningful. Read, enjoy and REJOICE!
Victim’s Victory
An Easter Song
The
Sheep sleeps:
The
meek Lamb who did not speak
before
His shearers; Who without shout
under
the rod of His branders was led
to
His death ‘mid jeers of bystanders;
with
only tears for the clotted crowd
and
a cry as He felt abandoned
even
by God. He sleeps now,
in
peace, after the shock,
in
the bed of the rock.
He
is dead.
The
weak Lamb, the meek Man,
meek
and weak for love none can speak,
for
people no Lamb but Love
could
ransom and re-seek.
Bound
around, wound in white,
found
in the ground, the Light hid from sight.
while
in the night, guards watch in fright,
minding
the stone, tightly sealed,
for
dread lest friends His Body steal
and
then propound to all around:
“He
is risen from the ground.
He
is risen from the dead,
truly
risen as He said.”
Then,
on the first day of the week,
while
still in sleep the people lay,
women
came to seek the grave
and,
with fragrance sweet, array
the
Lamb weak, the Man meek—but
He
was not there!
That
same daybreak did He speak
to
His Mother and to another with her name
when
that Mary came to weep and pray.
His
life of glory
He’d
begun to share.
Redeemed
People, Graced Race,
Hear
and praise!
The
Lamp is light with new fire bright,
Light
of a New Day.
The
Lamb leads the way
to
keep the sheep in the sight
of
His Father’s Face.
Crucified,
died, from Whose spear-slit side
came
streaming blood, a cleansing flood
to
wipe away the pride of sin and win again
the
sons and daughters of men
by
the tides of saving grace.
The
sleeping Sheep arises.
He
leads the lambs to the land of brightness
where
He stands at the Right Hand
of
the Most High.
They
hymn to Him, the Victim,
praise
for so great a Victory,
by
which He gained the glory
that
sets women and men free.
“Lamb
without stain, Who died in pain,
slain
to save the race from Satan, pride, and shame:
To
You we raise our acclaim of praise.
May
You reign for ages of days!
All
raise to the skies praise to You on high.
We
cry: You rose alive!
Truly,
truly, You are alive!
Alleluia!
Alleluia!”
Sr. Jane Abeln, SMIC
Easter,
1965
