One of my favourite poets (and who does wonders for my spiritual journey) is Carmelite nun Jessica Powers. I hereby share ‘God is a strange lover’, a piece I am currently relating to.
God is a strange lover
by Jessica Powers
God is the strangest of all lovers; His ways are past explaining
He sets his heart on a soul; he says to himself
“Here will I rest my love.”
But he does not woo her with flowers or jewels or words that are set to music,
No names endearing, no kindled praise his heart’s direction prove
His jealousy is an infinite thing. He stalks the soul with sorrows;
He tramples the bloom; he blots the sun that could make her vision dim
He robs and breaks and destroys-there is nothing at last but her
Own shame, her own affliction.
And then he comes and there is nothing in the vast
World but him and her love of him
Not till the great rebellions die and her will is safe
In his hands forever
Does he open the door of light and his
Tendernesses fall, and then for what is seen in the
Soul’s virgin places ,
For what is heard in the heart , there is no speech at all
God is a strange lover; the story of his love is most surprising
There is no proud queen in her cloth of gold; over and over again
There is only, deep in the soul, a poor disheveled woman weeping…
For us who have need of a picture and words;
the Magdalen.
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Tags: books, Carmelite nun, Carmelite poet, God, God is a strange lover, Jessica Powers, poetry, poetry as prayer, seeking God, Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit, spirituality, the mystery of God
February 2, 2012 at 3:29 pm |
I like the POV here. It is an interesting piece in the literal sense of the word – it interested me. (So often, “interesting” can bring with it the connotation of “strange” or “odd” – but not here).