Spiritual poetry

[drac16]

Peace and blessings!

Do any of you enjoy spiritual poetry? does your religion have a tradition of writing/reciting poetry? Let me know!

…and feel free to quote a passage, if you feel so inclined.

 

[Dorothy]

Peace and blessings!

Do any of you enjoy spiritual poetry? does your religion have a tradition of writing/reciting poetry? Let me know!

…and feel free to quote a passage, if you feel so inclined.

I am inspired by spiritual poetry.

There is much spiritual poetry in Catholicism that I have come across.

This quote is from St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church on prayer:

"The Father spoke one WORD which WORD was His Son,

This WORD He speaks ever in eternal silence,

And in silence must it be heard by the soul."

(It is said that in Spanish, the native tongue of St. John of the Cross, it is most beautiful.)

 

[Gertabelle]

Oh my goodness, yes! And thank you for starting this thread.

I was raised Catholic but left the Church for many years and explored some other religions and spiritual practices. I remember the powerful influence Rumi had on my spiritual life at that time. Very beautiful poetry, even in translation.

The Catholic Church and Christianity in general has had many great poets.

I love this one by St Teresa of Avila (in the original Spanish):

Nada te turbe,
nada te espante;
todo se pasa,
Dios no se muda.
La pacientia todo lo alcanza.
Quien a Dios tiene nada la falta:
solo Dios basta.

In English:

Let nothing disturb you,
let nothing frighten you;
all things pass away,
God never changes.
Patience attains all.
He who has God lacks nothing:
God alone is sufficient.

St Francis of Assisi wrote many poems, but I cannot make the time to search for their original Italian or decent translations right now. St Francis did NOT write the so-called “prayer of St Francis” (make me a channel of your peace) by the way. Most Catholic hymnals wrongly attribute this text to him, though it was written in the early 20th century.

Speaking of hymns, some beautiful poetry can be found in them. Here is one of my favorites, written by Timothy Dudley-Smith:

God is my great desire, his face I seek the first;
To him my heart and soul aspire, for him I thirst.
As one in desert lands, whose very flesh is flame,
In burning love I lift my hands and bless his name.

God is my true delight, my richest feast his praise,
Through silent watches of the night, through all my days.
To him my spirit clings, on him my soul is cast;
Beneath the shadow of his wings he holds me fast.

God is my strong defense in every evil hour;
In him I face with confidence the tempter’s power.
I trust his mercy sure with truth and triumph crowned:
My hope and joy forevermore in him are found.

Again, thank you for starting this thread.

 

[Dorothy]

Here is the Canticle by St. Francis of Assisi:

prayerfoundation.org/canticle_of_brother_sun.htm

 

[drac16]

Here is the Canticle by St. Francis of Assisi:

prayerfoundation.org/canticle_of_brother_sun.htm

Cool.

I like how he calls the sun and the moon “him” and “her”. He did the same thing with animals. I remember watching a movie on Youtube about St. Francis and he called a duck “brother duck”. Kinda strange, but cool nonetheless.

 

[arthra]

Peace and blessings!

Do any of you enjoy spiritual poetry? does your religion have a tradition of writing/reciting poetry? Let me know!

…and feel free to quote a passage, if you feel so inclined.

Baha’i Writings contain Odes of Baha’u’llah. One of them is called the “Ode of the Dove” originally in Arabic “Qasídiy-i- Varqá’íyyih”
first written or published 1856(?)

There is a provisional translation into English. I quote the opening verses here:

*1. I was enthralled by light rays from a face
Whose advent dimmed and darkened every star,
2. As though the sunbeams of Her beauty’s glow
appeared and dazzled planets from afar.
3. Her joy diffused the musk of the unseen,
Her stature raised the Spirit up above.
4. The End-Time’s Trump resounded when She blew;
Her breath caused shadows of the clouds to move.
5. Her gleam reveals Mount Sinai’s deathlessness;
Baha’s bright light is kindled when She glows.
6. Then to Her west the sun of splendor dawned,
and to Her east, the moon of moons arose.
7. The mistral’s fragrance wafted from Her hair,
and Beauty’s eyes were solaced by Her gaze.
8. Her shining face gave Guidance sage advice,
and Moses’ soul was cleansed by Her form’s blaze.
9. The heart of hearts embraced Her eyelid’s dart.
For Her locks’ lasso, Being’s head was bent.
10. Her footprints constitute My highest aim,
the earth She trod, the most high Throne’s advent.
11. To win Her I have wept in every eye;
in exile, I have burned in every fire.
12. I spread myself out so that Her foot might
tread on My heart, and I win My desire.
13. I sought to gain Our union everywhere;
I scrawled letters of nearness on all earth.
14. And if I rush to oneness with Her light,
Then I am cast back, losing closeness’ berth.
15. And if I plead for union, hands upraised,
She answers with a sword: “My lovers’ prize!”

…

*To see the rest go to

bahai-library.com/bahaullah_ode_dove_cole

Additional notes on this Ode by Baha’u’llah can be found at

bahai-library.com/bahaullah_ode_dove_notes