ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN (1841 - 1901)
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ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN (1841 - 1901) |
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{The Ballad of Mary the Mother 1897}
53 * * *
Thou shalt not see, thou shalt not hear, Thou shalt not hear, thou shalt not see, My Spirit stirs around thee (saith So near am I both night and day, Seek not to unveil or fathom Me,— Juggle not with the Law Divine, I am veil’d for ever, I am dumb, Father and Lord I am indeed, 54 Thou shalt not hear, thou shalt not see, Let it suffice thee that I reign,— Go then thy ways,—though I am near, 55 * * *
It was Mary, the woeful Mother “He walked by the lonely waters, “And the sound of his voice could still the pain “And the men o’ the sea forsook their nets “And his voice was soft as the rain 56 “And the souls of the men o’ the sea “Alone I bode in the lonely house “And the Elders flocking about our house “‘He prophesieth and raveth loud “‘He eateth and drinketh unpurified, 57 “Nay then, the words they spake were sore “‘Fair as a lily-flower, my Son “Yet ever the wonderful rumour grew, “How the lame man walked, and the blind man saw, “Nay, then my heart was sick with fear 58 “‘He casteth down Devils by Belzebub, “For my buried shame had risen again “Suddenly through the streets o’ the town “And those who follow’d were ragged and poor, “And the townsfolk mock’d him as he walked 59 “‘Never was Prophet honoured yet “And he wandered up and over the hills, “And down to the shore of the lonely Sea 60 * * *
It was Mary, the gentle Mother “And even as a rock in the waters “When he reached out hands and bless’d them, “For his voice was sweet as a fountain “And the burden of earth was uplifted 61 “A land of milk and of honey, “Then the peace of God flowed round me “Kind were his words and gentle, “‘Come to me, ye who hunger, “‘Come to me, ye who are weeping, 62 “‘Come to me, ye who are stricken, “Sweet as a fountain’s falling “‘Your loving Father in Heaven “And the wind of his words went swiftly “Then one shriek’d loudly, ‘Rabbi! 63 “Ragged, and worn, and weary “And the little afflicted children “Pale as a man of marble “‘The Light I bring from the Father “‘And yet the sick shall be healéd, 64 “‘Weep not, but be of comfort! “But still they gather’d and murmur’d “But e’en as they flock’d around him “Swift through the clamouring people “And the blind folk groped in the sunlight, 65 66 * * *
’Twas Mary, the dark-eyed Maiden, “Was not the sick man healéd? ’Twas Mary, the woeful Mother, “How shall the hand of a mortal “The sick would sicken no longer, 67 “When darkness over the mountain “And I found him standing alone, “And his hands were raised to the sky “‘That the blind may see, that the sick be heal’d, “‘Father, Father, if I indeed 68 “‘Wearily over the whole world wide “And, lo! he fell on his face and prayed “And, lo! the storm of the night had fled, “And the light, like a hand snow-white, “Face to face in the silence 69 “Then my heart broke in my bosom, “‘I heard thy voice on the mountain side “Gently he gazed upon me “‘I have prayed, and my prayer is answer’d, “‘Even as the love of the Father 70 “‘Greater than I is the Father, “‘Alas, alas, my Jesus! “‘No eye of a mortal fathom can “‘Come home, come home, my Jesus, “Sadly he gazed upon me, 71 “‘I have no brethren, I have no mother, “Sadly he gazed upon me “But when I clutched at his raiment, “And his voice rang out once more “And swiftly into the Night 72 73 * * *
The Leper said: The Blind Man said: The Mad Man said: 74 God said: 75 * * *
’Twas Mary, the gentle Mother “Fairer he is and gentler “I would to God he were lying “I hear a voice still crying “Rabbi the people call him, 76 ’Twas Mary, the dark-eyed Maiden, “And lo! as he passeth the gateway “E’en as a King of the people “Their bread he multiplieth, ’Twas Mary, the woeful Mother, 77 “Flesh of my flesh, O Mary, “From place to place he passeth, “Gladly my soul would greet him “Man is a spark in the darkness, ’Twas Mary, the grey-haired Mother, 78 “The wings of the Lord are mighty “The heart of the Temple is cloven, “The rose and the Hûleh lily “Never the dead that sleepeth ’Twas Mary, the dark-eyed Maiden, 79 ’Twas Mary, the woeful Mother, “The God of Israël crieth ’Twas Mary, the dark-eyed Maiden, “The people cry he is Lord and King, “There is never a man of the sons of men 80 ’Twas Mary the woeful Mother, ’Twas Mary the dark-eyed Maiden, “Be he seed of a mortal or son of God, “I hear a Voice he cannot hear, “The Elders of Israël gather in wrath 81 “The God of Israël crieth aloud 82 * * *
The Lord and the Law are One Wherever the Lord hath past One, the Law and the Lord, Two, yet ever the same, 83 No miracles come of these Life and Death and Birth The Law and the Lord are One, Think not with prayer or praise, He is Lord to the furthest sun, 84 85 * * *
As they parted his raiment among them, But the storm of the night was over ’Twas Mary the woeful Mother And the light came out of the skies On his head the thorny crown, 86 And “Mother! Mother dear!” And “Mother! Mother dear!” Not to His Father in Heaven, The love of the Lord of Heaven The sword of the Lord of Heaven 87 Gently he gazed upon her As they set the sponge on a spear And he bowed his head on his breast 88 * * *
’Twas Mary, the happy Mother, She pillow’d his head on her bare breast-bone And over the cold still waxen face And the birth-star looked from the gates o’ Death On the breast of Mary the Mother 89 And, lo! they croon’d his cradle-song ’Twas Mary, the woeful Mother, “And round and round my cold breast-bone “Now dry thine eyes, O Mother dear, “Thy Son hath promised to wake again, 90 ’Twas Mary, the woeful Mother, “By the milk that stirreth around my heart “I hold him now, I clasp him now, “Never more will he open his eyes “The heart of the Temple is cloven, 91 “Yea God is good, for my Son is mine ’Twas Mary the bright-eyed Maiden “He liveth, Lord and Master of men, ’Twas Mary, the woeful Mother “Go by, for I loved my child too well 92 ’Twas Mary of Bethany weeping cried, “And one uplifteth a torch on high 93 * * *
And now they’ve embalm’d his white bodie And they’ve bound up tight his bearded chin And they’ve borne him up to the black hillside “Now come away, thou woeful woman, ’Twas Mary the Mother kissed his cheeks 94 And from over the hill the stars looked down (It rang to the foot of the Throne of God ’Twas Mary the Maiden weeping cried: “Go forth, go forth, and on your head “There’s room here at thy side, my Son, 95 “And thou shalt sleep, and calm as thine They have led her forth from the lonesome place, And down the hill to Jerusalem ’Twas Mary the dark-eyed Maiden, “Master and Lord of men was he, 96 “He is not dead, but only sleeps, ’Twas Mary the Mother answered not, 97 * * *
The first night they sat waiting there The next night they sat waiting there The third night they sat waiting there ’Twas Mary the woeful Mother “Never again shall the man my Son 98 “And its oh, for the kiss of his mouth, “And its oh, for his long long sleep, “O had ye left me lying there, Then Mary, the gentle Maiden, ’Twas Mary the woeful Mother 99 “How shall the hand of a mortal “How shall the seed of a woman “My son was fair as a lily, “What man shall stand in the whirlwind ’Twas Mary the woeful Mother 100 And over the hill the Dawn’s bright feet And the heart of the world throb’d deep and strong 101 * * *
Shepherd dear, the winds blow cold, Over the stormy hills they roam, Shepherd dear, ere the day was done, Thy white hands blest them, Shepherd dear, Now, alas! the light hath fled, So cold, so still, this wintertide, 102 The cold snow falls, the shrill winds cry, Alas! thou dost not see or hear! Shepherd, Shepherd, the winds blow cold! _____
The Ballad of Mary the Mother continued or back to The Ballad of Mary the Mother - Contents
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