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.
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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.
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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 ,
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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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