O full of Grace; God's Spirit moulded thee
In the Conception of thine Entity:
And when at length God's Mother thou shouldst be,
Once more that Spirit overshadowed thee,
Thou Temple of the Blessed Trinity.
All through the hour of trial changelessly
Thy Soul had mirrored Godhead, which in thee
Had found a home created. Faultlessly
His Holy Spirit taught and guided thee
Till thou wert One with Him, and He with thee.
* * *
To Heaven thy face was lifted up, to see
Thine only Son, who there triumphantly
Ascended in the cloud: and did not He
E'en then rain on thy soul His dew, to be
The earnest of a greater Mystery?
No moment in thy life, oh, sure did He
Reign in thy heart with more supremacy;
Never through life more nigh appeared to be
Than when He seemed to be forsaking thee,
Such was the Love Divine encircling thee.
The feebleness of pure Maternity -
Had it existed - lives no more in thee.
He hath ascended: thou henceforth will be
Ascended with Him, living, verily,
A dying life 'till He return for thee.
A life of longing, transcendentally
Above creation lifted. Yet, to be
To His dear Church a parting legacy:
Mistress and Teacher of Apostles she,
Sole Witness to His Birth's integrity.
Her work hath she before her: 'tis to be
His Mirror and their Mother. Verily,
John hath He given her, Priest and Son to be
Whose thirst at that pure Fountain slaked shall be,
With Truths sublime, the Word's great Mystery.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote