A window in the high Victorian mode:
'Ora pro nobis, Sancte Raphael!'
The young Tobias, ready for the road,
Angel beside him, bids his kin farewell...
The angel, though disguised as Azarias,
Sports crimson-velvet wings; in white and reds
Blind Tobit, and the green-clad young Tobias
Proclaim their sanctity with haloed heads.
But there, behind her menfolk, in drab blue,
Stands Anna, halo-less... Can this be just?
Her weaving fed son and blind husband! True,
She grumbled (as a hard-pressed woman must!)
But... lose her halo for so small a stumble?
For shame, Sir Artist! Did you never grumble?
Author notes
I am not sure that you will consider this poem eligible, as some Christian communities do not accept the Book of Tobias as part of the Bible proper, but relegate it to the Apocrypha. However, Roman Catholic Bibles include it - and this window is in an RC church in Cheltenham.
A contest entry
- Religion, however you view it by squishe.
300 points, ended August 14, 2006, 17 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - BATTLE OF THE SONNETS---ROUND 1 by mamad.
400 points, ended June 3, 2007, 26 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Inspired by Bible stories.... by nightshade10.
625 points, ended December 19, 2007, 18 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - I AM A SUCKY SONNET WRITER SONNET CONTEST by Swan song.
850 points, ended January 4, 2008, 24 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 12 of 12
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Well done this is another one of those poems to read and ponder well done
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Wow. What an interesting poem!
While I like it a lot, I have to admit that my understanding of it is very much hampered by the fact that I know nothing about the Book of Tobias. Could you enlighten me as to what happens in the Book?
Thank you so much for entering this in my contest. Best of luck to you! -
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I do not think the poem really needs the story, but here it is (sorry, I cannot see where my Bible is for the moment - it is not in the proper place on the shelf!) But roughly the story is as follows:
Tobit, his wife Anna and his son Tobias are living in Babylon (or Nineveh - I cannot remember for the moment, but anyway somewhere in Mesopotamia). Tobit takes a siesta out of doors, leaning against the wall of his house, and some droppings from a swallow's nest under the eaves falls in his eyes and blinds him... Anna has to support the family by weaving. (It is not clear what Tobias is doing - studying perhaps?) Anna grumbles about how difficult life is... Tobit remembers that he lent some money to a relative in another city - and sends Tobias to fetch it.Tobias is accompanied on his journey by the Archangel Raphael, disquised as a young man called Azarias.
On the way, Tobias catches a fish in the river. Raphael tells him to keep some of the fish's innards (liver and gall I think).
When they reach the relative, he gives them the money owed to Tobit. But this family has a great problem; their daughter Sarah has been married seven times - and each time, next morning the bridegroom is found dead - killed by a demon. Tobias decides that he wants to marry her... and does so... Raphael tells him how to overcome the demon...He and Sarah must not go to bed on their wedding night but must stay up praying all night - and they must put some of the fish gut on the brazier in their room - so that the stink will drive the demon away... They do this, and it works... but Sarah's father had been so sure that there would be an eighth death, that he had already arranged for the grave to be dug... so when Tobias comes out of the bridal chamber next morning alive and well (although tired from the all-night prayers!) he has to send to have the grave filled in again...
Then Tobias takes Sarah home with him - Raphael still accompanies them... and when they arrive Raphael puts the fish gall on Tobit's eyes and cures his blindness..
Raphael reveals his true identity and goes off about his other archangelic duties, and Tobit, Anna, Tobias and Sarah all live happily together to the end of their lives...
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It is wonderful how a single image can relate an entire story, to someone who knows it. That is a great question about the prejudice which persists in churches to this day - a female saint is a remarkable being indeed.
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Excellent
Excellent write I wish it was by me. -
excellent write. i love it!! great flow, great wording, great everything! this was very pro written, and i admire a good write... seems i might have a challenge in this contest. haha.
peace. -
This did make me laugh..though I have no idea really who you are talking about.
It is written well, some parts just click together, especially the first two lines and I especially like the end...something so petty, trivial and yet you've put it together with something biblical...nice! -
Since you did not state how many entries each poet can submit for your competition, I am venturing to send a second one... However, whether it is eligible or not depends on your particular faith community. The story of Tobias is included in the Catholic Bible (and as I have already mentioned, the stained glass window which inspired this poem is in a Catholic church). However, the Anglican Bible does not include it in the main, "canonical" books - but only in the Apocrypha.
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Hmm this is actually very cool. I like the way that you took the Bible backround and then also a figure of the church itself today (being the stained glass) and tried to make a connection between the two. Very cool. Thanks for entering! And good luck.
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The window that inspired this is in a Catholic church in Cheltenham - I forget the dedication - and it could well be by one of the Victorian "greats". I saw it a few years ago when I was taking part in a Cheltenham Festival "slam"
Edited on Feb 11, 10:41 because 'typo'. -
Excellent. One of the churches downtown has a burne-jones stained glass. Incredible.
Love your description and the digging deeper into the image.
John
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