Eaglet of singular begetting, see
The eyrie God Himself hath made for thee,
High in mid-heaven thy dwelling place shall be
Whose Eye into His Glory looks, to see
And learn His Will who overshadows thee.
And now hath risen thy Sun, and thou canst see
Him shining through that sweet Humanity;
Though veiled in Flesh, yet veiled not to thee -
Who shar'st with Him the unspoken Mystery -
A Godhead clothed in Sacred Infancy.
Him hast thou compassed, Woman: verily,
Since Godhead all entire was found in thee,
So Manhood was in perfect entity.
This did the Seer foretell: and thou art she
Forechosen to fulfil the Mystery.
Now must thou quit thy still retreat, to be
The Bearer of the God who beareth thee;
The Enfolder of a Child who foldeth thee:
Long is the way, and Joseph anxiously
The bridle holds of that which carrieth thee.
She, who the sun exceeds in purity,
Seeks by obedience purer still to be:
She, who of worlds the Ransom bears, will be
The Ransomer of Him who owneth thee,
With tokens of His wondrous poverty.
Slowly and silently the Blessed Three
Move onward at the call of God's decree;
While rapt in holy contemplation, she
Adores the Infant in her arms; and He
Speaks to her soul in answer - speechlessly.
O Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Holy Three,
On earth the figure of the Trinity:
Great are ye in your lowliness; for see,
To God ye bring a Price as great as He,
Condign with God's offended Majesty.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote