Narnia Awaits
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 46
Poem:
How lovely still, though winter’s spell
Does bind the blush of spring away.
In silent hush before the hope
Of verdant fields where fountains play.
A thousand months no harvest moon
Lit merry dancers on the sward
Yet still the magis’ prophesy
Foretells the favor of the Lord
For on the Lion’s chosen day
Shall Adam’s flesh and Adam’s bone
Restore to rights the weary world
And rule the land through love alone
Copyright: 2005 John Burkitt
Ave Verum Corpus (From Lucy with all her love)
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Poem:
Mere ragged remnants gird your face
Where golden locks adorned your brow
My hand across the stubble strokes
My tears conjoin with sweat and blood
Still sobbing, Lord, I wipe the flood
That veils your noble countenance
A longing buss I would bestow
To rouse those eyes and stir the breath
And possibly provoke a dart
For little girls who in their guile
Go in without a by-your-leave
A quick, unbidden kiss to steal
A final cry they stole from you
They trussed you firm and bound your face
The scream upwelling in our hearts
We locked away and set our jaw
And silently beheld the knife
Along its fatal path descend
Oh Aslan, precious lion dear
The two of us have seen you die
How can we tell the others, Lord
And watch the ashen wave of grief
Rebuke the springtime from their face
And quench the sunshine of their eyes?
I love my brother, Aslan dear
Despite the things that he has done
How great my joy to see him free
Rebuked and yet forgiven too
But oh, he must not know the price
He would not ask this awful thing
I never shall forget the day
When first I saw your hazel eyes
That warmed me to the very soul
Although my knees were weak with fear
And soft yet strong your precious voice
First sang my name like poetry
I must admit I found myself
So torn between my love for you
And pangs of my unworthiness
Not knowing if I would receive
My heart’s desire to stroke your mane
And whisper love words in your ear
Oh Emperor across the sea!
Allow my love to reach his ears
Allow my tears to wash away
The crimson stain of precious blood
And steel my heart for days ahead
When he must stay and I must go
I love my brother, Aslan dear
And I would gladly die for him
That you might live and he would rule
And I would wait for them in sleep
But oh the hateful prophesy
Compels me take this path of pain
Forgive me for my selfishness
A word of prayer for Susan now
Our family so often torn
With doubt and anger in our ire
Was almost rent eternally
We only have each other now
At first it was a simple game
And then adventures in the snow
A friend, a new horizon spread
Before my eyes to dazzle me
A hope of joy, a taste of love
The simple game was life itself
Copyright: 2005 John Burkitt
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