When I began blogging I read Maria’s blog which featured a poem a day taken from a book in her local public library. She always included a painting to go with the poem. After only two years the project ended abruptly, and even the queries from faithful readers in the comments stopped five years ago. I had saved many, many poems from her offerings, and here I am sharing/copying one as an echo of her post for December 25, 2010, painting still attached. Thank you, Maria, wherever you are! I know you are with God.
BC: AD
This was the moment when Before
Turned into After, and the future’s
Uninvented timekeepers presented arms.
This was the moment when nothing
Happened. Only dull peace
Sprawled boringly over the earth.
This was the moment when even energetic Romans
Could find nothing better to do
Than counting heads in remote provinces.
And this was the moment
When a few farm workers and three
Members of an obscure Persian sect
Walked haphazard by starlight straight
Into the kingdom of heaven.
~ U. A. Fanthorpe (1929-2009), English poet
Gladsome Lights 
Beautiful dear Gretchen!
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When I first began reading a few blogs there was a woman in your state, the upper part I believe, who had the loveliest blog. I read backwards over time to each post and looked forward to new posts. And then the posts stopped. I wondered about her for a long time, hoping that she had just stopped so she could enjoy life more but suspecting that there was a sadder reason.
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Yes I still have her on my favorite blogs list but haven’t heard for years now. I discovered both of you at the same time as Charles and Maria used to write back and forth. Wish I knew what happened to her.
Thanks for sharing.
Leslie
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Oh, terrific!! And I do so love Rembrandt.
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A beautifully appropriate poem for this time of the year!
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What a sweet picture. I will have to spend some time on that blog.
AMDG
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How lovely Gretchen.
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That is such a beautiful poem! Thank you so much for sharing it!
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I like Rembrandt’s Virgin Mary taking time away from reading to peek at her Most Holy Baby.
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Oh, I like that poem, too. Thank you, Gretchen.
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I wandered around on Maria’s blog this morn, thank you. I do remember you mentioning it, but I don’t know that I had ever visited it.
“Walking haphazardly by starlight” is a beautiful last stanza, as far as language goes, but I believe it was all the very opposite of haphazard. That guiding star from the hand of the tremendous organizer of ultimate purpose … nothing haphazard about the call or the response of those who walked in answer to it.
My favorite line is the opening: “This was the moment when Before Turned into After…”
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