The New Decorating Angels, Advent

A Poem for Advent

And the angel spoke and went to great trouble

with the man, who clenched his fists;

But dost thou not see by every fold

that she is as cool as God’s early day?

Yet the other looked somberly at him,

murmuring only: What has changed her so?

But at that the angel cried: Carpenter,

dost thou not yet see that the Lord God is acting?

Because thou makest boards, in thy pride

wouldst thou really call him to account

who modestly out of the same wood

makes leaves burgeon and buds swell?

He understood. And as he now raised his eyes

very frightened, to the angel,

he was gone. He pushed his heavy

cap slowly off. Then he sang praise.

Joseph’s Suspicion by Rainer Maria Rilke

Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.