Innocents Intonation

orchidee



Tune: Heinlein

('Forty days and forty nights')

Matthew 2 v.13-18

Holy Innocents Day: Dec. 28

**********

O great horror! O great pain!

When Herod in wrath did deign

Children* under two to kill (*boys)

Working out his evil will

 

How can we be comforted

When our little ones are dead?

They holy and innocent

They to death unchoosing went

 

For Herod was outwitted

In a dream wised men were led

Not to return to him there

Place of Saviour's birth not share

 

For it be dangerous, so

Rival, king Herod did know

Yet a kingdom heavenly

Christ would bring, so would it be

 

May we, Lord, not be afraid

Where troubles evil has made

Poor, lowly, vulnerable

To help as we hear your call

 

So to turn the darkest night

From desolation to light

You, Lord, light of the world shine

None can o'ercome light divine

 

  • Author: orchidee (Offline Offline)
  • Published: December 28th, 2020 03:23
  • Comment from author about the poem: A hymn-poem in 7.7.7.7. metre. Not sure why I chose 'Intonation' in the title. Maybe because of those bereaved here, and they intone a lamenting song? This event would not have been right near Christmas, as it is said the wise men saw the 'young child'. A tune used for Lent. A jolly Carol tune did not seem apt.
  • Category: Spiritual
  • Views: 33
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Comments5

  • Goldfinch60

    Good one Orchi.

    • orchidee

      Thanks Gold.

    • Michael Edwards

      Keep 'em coming.

      • orchidee

        Thanks M.

      • FineB

        Hi Orchidee,

        A great write.

        Keep writing ✍ and safe during these challenging times.
        FineB

        • orchidee

          Thanks Fine.

        • Jerry Reynolds

          Orchi - I enjoyed it. Happy New Year

          • orchidee

            Thanks Jerry.

          • Robert Southwick Richmond

            I know this tune well - it's commonly sung when the gospel reading is the account in Mark of when Jesus, right after John Baptist baptizes him in the Jordan, goes into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The tune is variously called HEINLEIN or AUS TIEFER NOT. It's difficult to separate that text from the tune.

            You might consider, as an aid to the singer, accenting syllables with unexpected stresses: thus "When Heród in wrath did deign"

            • orchidee

              Thanks Robert. I may use them occasionally, e.g. in 'Blesséd' (makes it two syllables). If it is 'Blessed', it can sound like 'blest' (one syllable).
              Or cut down a syllable, e.g. 'e'er' for 'ever'.

              • Robert Southwick Richmond

                Convention here: blessed might be pronounced blest. Blessèd (grave accent) means pronounced but not accented. Blesséd (acute accent) would be stressed on the second syllable, bless-SED.

                Gerard Manley Hopkins occasionally uses acute accents to mark unexpected syllabic stresses.



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