The New Jerusalem
William Blake
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my charriot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.
I yearn sometimes for the healing of this broken creation. Blake hated the results of the Industrial Age -- he hated the near slave labor conditions, the rampant materialism, the pollution to his beloved England. How do you express this yearning in your own life?
Ah--the national hymn of England! Love it!!!
ReplyDeleteAT YOUR TABLE
ReplyDelete(Suggested tune: Truesdell, by Bill Rowan; 8787D)
(Communion Anthem) (For K.E.)
1/ TO OUR LIVES, WE COME WITH NOTHING
BUT OUR INNOCENCE AND NEED,
WHEN WE GO, WE LEAVE A MEM’RY
AND ANOTHER’S HEART TO BLEED,
BUT YOU’VE BROUGHT US TO THIS TABLE,
BOUNTY LADEN , SET FOR FEAST
AND YOU SIT US ALL AROUND IT
WITH THE GREATEST AND THE LEAST.
2/ WE ARE TRAV’LLERS PAST REMEMB’RING,
WE’VE KNOWN WILDERNESS AND LOSS;
NO ONE COUNTS OUR WEARY FOOTSTEPS
IN THE DESERTS WE HAVE CROSSED,
THIS OASIS WE’VE BEEN BROUGHT TO
WELLS OF WATER, COOL AND DEEP,
FOOD REVIVING, OIL ANOINTING,
SOFTEST BEDS INVITE OUR SLEEP.
3/ BUT OUR HANDS, THEY ARE NOT EMPTY,
NOR OUR HEARTS, OUR MINDS OR LIVES;
WHOLE OR BROKEN ,WE BRING WITH US
WHAT WE’VE GONE THROUGH TO SURVIVE.
STILL YOU’D HAVE US AT YOUR TABLE,
POUR US WINE, AND BID US EAT
SERVE US ALL IN JOY AND PLENTY
TILL WE’RE SATISFIED SOUL DEEP.
4/ SO WE SIT WITH YOU IN WONDER
AS WE ARE, AND AS WE’VE BEEN,
AWED AND HUMBLED, YET EXALTED
BY YOUR GENEROSITY,
WE WILL RISE TO SHARE THIS BANQUET
SHARE THE HOPE IN WHICH WE LIVE
WITH THE ONES WHO SIT IN HUNGER
AND BY YOUR EXAMPLE, GIVE.
--words © 2002 Peter Fergus-Moore
All Rights Reserved
I posted my response this morning (Sat, 18.Feb).
ReplyDeleteLovely Peter -- we'll talk :)
ReplyDeleteI see a place in our Lenten series (Living Covenant: Water and Creation) for your hymn.....
That is indeed lovely, Peter.
ReplyDeletePeter, I love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd although I don't know that tune off the top of my head, I am already singing it to the same tune as "In the Bulb there is a flower."
For some reason, Blogger ate what I posted Saturday morning. Will re-post later. Perhaps.
ReplyDelete