Lent: An Acrostic
Late have I loved you— End all my competence Net all my pride Tether me to you, beauty so ancient, so new
This small poem is mostly not my words. It’s inspired and bookended by the stunning words of St. Augustine in his Confessions (which, if you’ve never read them, you need to drop everything and do now):
Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you. The lovely things kept me far from you, though if they did not have their existence in you, they had no existence at all. You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness. You were fragrant, and I drew in my breath and now pant after you. I tasted you, and I feel but hunger and thirst for you. You touched me, and I am set on fire to attain the peace which is yours.
I mean!!
It's also inspired by John Donne’s Holy Sonnet XIV, “batter my heart three-personed God” (the poem that inspired Oppenheimer to name the first atomic bomb test Trinity):
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
We have two weeks left of Lent—one of them Holy Week—and…I don't know. Some Lents I feel closer to God, especially once I've made it over halfway. I was talking with friends last night how that's no indicator of whether you actually are closer to God. But it's still nice to feel that way. This Lent is more of a mixed bag for me. I'm not sure I feel closer to him. But I do think I've been seeing some small fruit in areas I was praying for. So posting this poem is a way of encouraging myself, I guess, to keep going. Keep leaning in. Keep asking for the Spirit. I hope it can encourage you too—whether you're doing Lent or have never heard of it. This poem is a prayer we can all say, all the time.
I’ll end with another quote, the Book of Common Prayer’s collect (prayer) for Ash Wednesday. The first line has been making me tear up all month.
Almighty and eternal God, you hate nothing you have made and you forgive the sins of those who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that we truly repent of our sins, acknowledge our wretchedness, and obtain perfect forgiveness from you, the God of all mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
In Other Words…
No new reviews this week! But for my fellow poet and short story writer friends, do check out Solum Literary Press’s call for submission for their newest journal! The theme is legacy, and submissions close April 9. Full disclosure: I am in their mentorship cohort this spring, which means I will be helping read and vote on submissions (which I feel ill-qualified for but it's not all up to me, so don't worry). I would love to see your work!
And here are two beautiful songs that incorporate that Augustine quote:
Late Have I Loved You | Gungor
keep awake,
Aberdeen