Caryll Houselander
The
following poem 'Walterton Road' by Caryll Houselander, is taken from
a book of her poems, entitled 'The Flowering Tree'. Printed on the
title page, is a short introductory verse which encapsulates
perfectly the spiritual dimension of her work.
Faithful
Cross, O tree all beauteous,
Tree
all peerless and divine!
Not
a grove on earth can show us,
Such
a flower and leaf as thine.
In
the 'Foreword' to her book, the author writes:-
'These
rhythms are not intended to be poems in
a
new form, but simply thoughts, falling naturally
into
the beat of the rhythm, which is all round us
and
which becomes both audible and visible
in
the seasons of the year, the procession of day
and
night, and the liturgical cycle; they are arranged
so that the rhythm and stress shall be easily seen,
as
well as thought, by people who are unused to
reading
verse; the theme which recurs in them is
the flowering of Christ in man.'
'Walterton
Road'
Twilight
is full of laughter
here
in Walterton Road,
where
the children swarm on the steps,
and
the washing hangs in rows.
How
sharp the life is
That
burns in the thin women,
Calling
from door to door.
It
has defeated the world,
but
with a sting,
not
with sweetness,
they
are like wild nettles,
growing
green in the ashes.
Yet
how sweet the life is
here,
in the boy and girl
in
their time of maying.
But
shrineless the bread
for
the Sacrament,
shame
on the jaundiced eyes
denying,
homeless love
its
oblivious kiss in the street!
Brave
in the young mother,
very
brave in her, life is,
she
sits in the window
and
twists with a laughing finger,
the
baby's feather of hair,
he
pulls the geranium flower,
and
drops the petals down
on
the boy and girl
in
a crimson shower.
Does
anyone ever guess
when
the watch ticking over his heart,
marks
his loveliest hour?
Twilight
is full of laughter
and
there, in a dark frame,
of
a tenement window pane,
a
yellow canary sings
in
a yellow cage.
The
rooms are crowded here,
and
the walls weep,
there
is no solitude,
birth
meets death,
and
pushes past on the stairs.
It
is always washing, and cooking,
and
trying to make ends meet,
and
carping cares,
but
life springs up like a weed,
life
is a green shoot,
springing
up everywhere.
What
hands are here!
What
hard, labouring hands,
warding
off blows,
and
defending,
what
eyes for a vision!
What
hearts for a Resurrection!
What
lives there are,
sharp
like spears fore-fending
foes,
that threaten a spark,
which
will still be burning
after
the last star.
Look!
The
blue purity
over
the chimney pots,
listen:-
the
children's laughter
scattering
shadows.
Oh,
brooding Spirit of God
Breath
of the wind,
that
blows wherever it will,
ruffling
the rags of life a little,
and
then
zephyr,
here
in a sheltered valley
and
still.
Caryll
Houselander
Taken from 'The Flowering Tree' published by Sheed & Ward, London. (this edition 1973) -nihil obstat imprimatur Westminster July 1945.
************
I
truly enjoy Caryll Houselander's poetry which radiates her love of
God and her understanding and compassion for humanity. She had a particular
empathy with children, to the extent that during the Second World War
in the 1940s, she became renowned for her care of children suffering
mentally from the effects of the war. In England, the most respected and eminent
doctors and child psychiatrists referred children to her, on the
basis that she would cure them with love! She herself died of cancer
in her fifties, but in her writings, especially her poetry, she left an
inspiring legacy of her faith and trust in God.
***********
In
a somewhat radical but important change of direction, I would like to
draw readers attention to the 'Grand Jury Court of Public Opinion'
which has recently heard the 'Common Law' evidence against certain
named protagonists of the 'Great Reset War' - currently directed against the peoples and societies of the
world. The 'Trial' with Judge, expert qualified witnesses from around the world and from all walks of life, and Jury- comprising the people of the world, has been
broadcast live-stream, on 5th February, 12th
and 13th February, 19th and 20th
February, and 26th February, each Session dealing with particular aspects of this 'War'. The Sessions are long, necessarily so to accommodate the witnesses and evidence, but what evil has been revealed! It is vitally important that the truth and reality of this diabolically inspired 'One World Government' is exposed to the whole world, and the purpose of this 'Trial' is to do just that. The link to the 'Trial' is below, please find time to peruse at least some of it, you will not regret it. Also please pass it to your friends. N.B. You may find that the link is interrupted by a 'redirect' warning from face-book, but do not be put off, ignore this warning and click to continue. GRAND-JURY.NET ,
*********************************
Holy Week starts tomorrow. Let us pray for peace in the world, and the destruction of all to do with the Great Reset. We must turn to God. We must repent of our sins, and acknowledge the authority of God's commandments, and abide by them. 'Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His justice, and all things shall be added to you.'(Matt.6/33)
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'Stations of the Cross' by Caryll Houselander |
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