for Gary & Yvonne
FLESH OF MY FLESH
I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Saviour.
[HABAKKUK 3:18]
God drew thick darkness over Adam, sleep
Amid which Eve was shaped. Male left fast trance,
Received own isha. Spirit so from deep
Yearned world. O Champion! lift your flashing lance,
Jesus too wars blood-robed, weds joyous then
On earth descending Bride enthrals. Rich life
Is wine-like channelled through this grace to men.
Now kiss, embrace, high soar - you're husband, wife.
You are of fragrant laurel right his crown,
Victorious both, I pray, as marriage down
On hideous rocks is shattered. Far to go -
No dallying - have you, Yahweh's ways being true.
Not ceasing send against the subtle foe
Effectual arrows from the two of yew.
LED BY CHRIST
I will instruct you and teach you
in the way you should go ...
[PSALM 32:8]
I
"Where are you?" called the LORD, thus calls us still
Through woe's millennia from red leaves of shame
Up via crucis to fierce storm, skull hill,
Where we're eternally redeemed: his Name
Means that exactly. Love won't laze, self yields
Whole, holy - Spouse blood washes white, quit blame.
Groom ever keeps the church, his body, shields
Her from ill, harm. Run constant in his will,
Pitch nights, ice, rain ... sun-laughing golden fields.
II
Hard times must come. The LORD must discipline,
Pure burn us in deft love's cruel crucible:
Rood silver choice adorns, rod drives out sin,
High angel's sweet fumes rise from thurible -
Your prayers, my prayers for you - fire-filled, low hurled,
Earth quaking. Sister Wisdom - dutiful,
Discreet, just, fair, through whom God laid the world -
Your steps so fix you endless entrance win
To Beatific Face in city pearled.
III
Winds woke, blew soft on garden, smooth outflowed
Spice perfumes; lover relished honey, milk.
On Abram night sand-stars with promise glowed
Of children - nothing may your own line bilk.
For this now both forget, leave father, mother,
Plant crops, tend flocks, eat, drink, enjoy, wear silk.
Watched over, led by Christ, close-sticking brother,
Courageous join on never-ending road,
Your path to Paradise with, through each other.
Dún Laoghaire Evangelical Church
14-6-2006
Mark Hutcheson was born in Romford, Essex, in 1960, but has lived most of his life in Dún Laoghaire. He studied French and Russian at Trinity College Dublin where later he taught English and French. He now works as a secondary school teacher, and is a poetry translator and critic as well as a poet. He has published widely in Ireland, England, France, Belgium and Italy.
