I've been reading the magnificent collection of Latin hymns I bought at the Kalamazoo medieval conference (One Hundred Latin Hymns, Ambrose to Aquinas, from Harvard), which is an absolute treasure. Peter Walsh's translations are lovely- metre without rhyme, like most of the hymns themselves. So it occurred to me to try my hand at an unrhymed hymn in the iambic tetrameter the Latin often uses.
AD PATRIS LIMEN REDIENS
Returning to his Father's house,
The rising Son our sunset wrought:
leaving us grey and comfortless
to face the day, survive the night
Before he came we had the Law,
harsh, but secure: fulfilling it
he took away our rod and staff
and gave the fearful gift of Love
No rules, no simple precepts now:
decision dwells deep in the heart;
how shall we live with such a weight,
being our own Law, every day?
Peace: for the Father's deathless love
remembers us when we forget;
the Son who sits at his right hand
is mindful of our loneliness
Third Person of the Trinity,
the Holy Spirit, Paraclete,
prepares himself to come to us,
and plunges to our careless world
Welcome among us, Comforter,
strengthen us now from deep within,
pray in us, rule our hands and lives,
illuminate our wakeful mind
Breathe in our breath, see through our eyes,
speak with our tongue, and let the world
stare at our newness every day,
and praise thy presence in our love.
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