Other Songs – All Angels’ Abbey

Just before the day he took up dying his face shone like the mountain’s does at twilight when, by virtue of its height, it is the last to see the sun sink under a horizon urged into darkness.

This is a project I created in the Spring of 2011.  The texts are from David Rosenburg’s book, A Literary Bible. David Rosenburg is a former editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society and a poet. He’s also the author of the well-known Book of J, which, along with A Literary Bible, are his translations of…

Time converts me: the burden of some birds of wisdom who have perched for years on my weak ledges lifted when they fly away one day, and some new piece of me finally gives in and crumbles to the sea.

He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their seats Luke 1:51-52 My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Her eyes have scoured the floor for me: I, among the dust of…

Get on this train, its pulling out Get on my back, get off the ground Forget your bag, leave it behind I’ll pay for dinner and we’ll cancel all your credit cards online. I have enough for you, I’ll split everything I own in two, I will feed you from my side, I will hold…

Dust off this straw hat of mine Spit on these boots until they shine Shake out the sleep from my wings Take a swig of whisky and remind my voice to sing Holy, Holy, Oh my Lord Holy, Holy, Oh my Lord Break up this ground like a blade See all my old friends rising…

Jesus said, “Blessed are you who mourn,” and the crowd shifted uneasily. Everyone knew that Marjorie had lost her daughter just the month before, and would have likely preferred one of the standards, like, “Blessed are you, Lord God, Ruler of the Universe,” something grand that might make the grief seem like less than what…

Jesus said, “Do you see these stones? Very truly I tell you, not one will be left upon the other, all will be thrown down,” and then kept walking on. The disciples sighed. “Not one, Lord? Not the mosaic which has you pegged as pelican, giving suck to young with blood pecked from and plated…

He did, of course: but not, as some have said, as if I’d been delivered in a bubble to my mother’s womb; as if I’d lived preserved upon a thin and sanitary towel rolled out before me, the mud never oozing up between my toes; as if I, myself, could not see it coming. I…