COLUMBA
ASPEXIT
By
Hildegard of Bingen, Sybil of the Rhine
Born
1098, Died: Sept 17 1179
The
dove peered in
Through
the lattices of the window
Where,
before its face, a balm exuded
From
incandescent Maximin
The
heat of the sun burned
Dazzling
in the gloom;
Whence
a jewel sprang forth in the building
Of
the temple of the purest loving heart
He,
the high tower
Constructed
of Lebanon
Had
been adorned with hyacinth and diamonds
A
city excelling the crafts of other builders
The
swift hart sped
To
the fountains of clearest water
Flowing
from the most powerful stone
Which
courses with delightful spices
Of
Perfume Makers,
You
who are in the sweetest greenness
Of
the gardens of the king
Ascending
on high when you have
Completed
the holy sacrifice with the rams.
This
builder shined among you, the wall of the Temple
Who
longed for the wings of an eagle,
Kissing
his nurse Wisdom
In
the glorious fecundity of the church.
O
Maximin, You are the mount and the valley
And
in both you seem a high building
Where
the goat went with the elephant
And
Wisdom was in rapture
You
are strong and beautiful in rites
And
in the shining of the altar
Mounting
like the smoke of perfumes
To
the columns of praise
Where
you intercede for the people
Who
stretched towards the mirror of light
To
whom there is praise on high.
I found the book "the King's Daughter: a Medieval Romance" after crying out unto the Lord. He showed me that I was not useless! He gave me the most precious gift: writing poems for Him! I wanted to read some of the words to her songs and was led to a second hand shop in Adelaide> My CD Player in the car stopped working; so I was looking among the cassettes! Lo and behold there it was; a cassette of her music sung as she meant it to be; back in the 12th century. So beautiful to actually read her words and lyrics and hear them sung!
ReplyDelete