Mary Tired

Marjorie Lowry Christie Pickthall 1883 (Gunnersbury, London) – 1922 (Vancouver)



Through the starred Judean night
She went, in travail of the Light,
With the earliest hush she saw
God beside her in the straw.

One poor taper glimmered clear,
Drowsing Joseph nodded near,
All the glooms were rosed with wings.
She that knew the Spirit's kiss
Wearied of the bright abyss.
She was tired of heavenly things.
There between the day and night
These she counted for delight:

Baby kids that butted hard
In the shadowy stable yard;
Silken doves that dipped and preened
Where the crumbling well-curb greened;
Sparrows in the vine, and small
Sapphired flies upon the wall,
So lovely they seemed musical.

In the roof a swift had built.
All the new-born airs were spilt
Out of cups the morning made
Of a glory and a shade.
These her solemn eyelids felt
While unseen the seraphs knelt.
Then a young mouse, sleek and bold,
Rustling in the winnowed gold,
To her shadow crept, and curled
Near the Ransom of the World.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

50 sec read
111

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABB CCDEEDAA FFGGHHX IIJJKKLLMM
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 899
Words 166
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 8, 7, 10

Marjorie Lowry Christie Pickthall

Marjorie Lowry Christie Pickthall, was a Canadian writer who was born in England but lived in Canada from the time she was seven. She was once "thought to be the best Canadian poet of her generation." more…

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    Which poet is known for writing "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"?
    A William Shakespeare
    B Dylan Thomas
    C Sylvia Plath
    D T.S. Eliot