Bird at Evening

Carmelite poet Jessica Powers on twilight, surrender, and the hidden Paschal mystery

Here is a very Magdalen of bird
weeping her music at the feet of day,
who in a moment more will be interred
and in his shroud of silver laid away.

This is the bird that lately had anointed
the radiant flesh with the cool oil of song.
These feet are still; the night is three days long.

Henceforth the story of this bird will live
enclosed forever in day’s narrative.
This shall be told of her
wherever any poet is appointed
as day’s biographer.

— Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit, o.c.d. (Jessica Powers)

Bird at Evening (1939)

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
How do you accompany Christ in the “three days” of darkness, when nothing seems to move?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

Source reference

Powers, Jessica. Selected Poetry of Jessica Powers. Edited by Regina Siegfried, A.S.C., and Robert Morneau. Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1999.

Featured image

A flock of birds crosses a pink and purple sunset sky, their dark silhouettes scattered across the fading light.
Image credit: Adrianna Calvo / StockSnap.io (CC0).