The Seraph and the Poet

*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) CLASSIC POEM: The Seraph and the Poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning The seraph sings before the manifest God-One, and in the burning of the Seven, And with the full life of consummate Heaving beneath him like a mother’s Warm with her first-born’s slumber in that The poet sings upon the earth grave-riven, Before the naughty world, soon self-forgiven For wronging him, and in the darkness prest From his own soul by worldly weights. Even so, Sing, seraph with the glory! heaven is high; Sing, poet with the sorrow! earth is low: The universe’s inward voices cry ‘Amen’ to either song of joy and woe: Sing, seraph, poet, sing on equally! *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: Abecedarian Requiring Further Examination of Anglikan Seraphym Subjugation of a Wild Indian Rezervation Natalie Diaz SNIPPET: Angels don’t come to the reservation. Bats, maybe, or owls, boxy mottled things. Coyotes, too. They all mean the same thing— death. And death eats angels, I guess, because I haven’t seen an angel fly through this valley ever. … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]