Friday, April 1, 2022

An Easter Carol

               
                Spring bursts to-day,
For Christ is risen and all the earth's at play.

                Flash forth, thou Sun,The rain is over and gone, its work is done.                Winter is past,Sweet Spring is come at last, is come at last.                Bud, Fig and Vine,Bud, Olive, fat with fruit and oil and wine*.                Break forth this mornIn roses, thou but yesterday a Thorn**.                Uplift thy head,pure white Lily through the Winter dead.                Beside your damsLeap and rejoice, you merry-making Lambs.                All Herds and FlocksRejoice, all Beasts of thickets and of rocks.                Sing, Creatures, sing,Angels and Men and Birds and everything.                All notes of DovesFill all our world: this is the time of loves.    

                                                  -Christina G. Rossetti (1830-1894)


  

*Habakkuk chapter 3
**Compares the flowerless rose, all thorns "just yesterday", to the contrast between Good Friday, when the Lord died, to the blossom of His resurrection on Easter.