The Resurrection of Christ (right wing of the Isenheim Altarpiece),
Matthias Grünewald
Dear Readers,
Eastertide is here. My recent posts have been on taken from a series of sonnets on the seven deadly sins (originally there were eight, and thus there are eight poems in the series.) I publish them to this substack as I receive notice of their publication. These poems have focused on the darkness of human nature.
But it is Easter, and in honor of the season, I proffer you this hymn, composed on Easter Sunday. My brother (who writes music and builds organs) is going to be writing music for it. But here are the words. It is written in the tradition of the great Anglo-Catholic hymnodists. Its deliberately archaic diction is a mark of its liturgical nature: a heightened purpose requires a heightened mode of speech.
Christ is Risen!
Alleluia! Let the sacred word resound!
Let the triumph of the victor’s might
Be on every Christian tongue; resound
Our Alleluia through this vigil night!
Alleluia! Sing with all thy soul and breath!
Christ with holy fire, crown and sword
Has brought divine destruction on the camps of death!
Cry Alleluia to the Risen Lord!
Alleluia! See the mighty king returneth
To wipe away man’s hopeless heavy sadness,
To bring new birth, for which the whole creation yearneth!
Shout Alleluia with a heart of gladness!
Alleluia! He within our flesh hath warred
Against us, yet we reign with him victorious
Above the fleshless angels, who have all adored
With Alleluia man-hood made full glorious!
Alleluia to the Father, Lord of Hosts,
And to his Word, the Son, whom he did send
And to their love, the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost,
Hail! Alleluia! World without an end!
AMEN
absolutely beautiful!