Hic aedificaverunt,
e paucis muniverunt
ac arte ornaverunt
ecclesiam illam.
Pax, in his testata,
captivis optata,
confundit, renata,
belli favillam.
Not swords to ploughshares here, only the waste
Of war was left to them, who prisoners
Under an alien grey sky, strove on
To build, equip and to adorn a church.
Now, after sixty years, it shines, a jewel
Of artistry, man's offering to God
In prayer for peace...
Only for those who look
Close, do carved stones resolve to painted board,
And fretwork altar-screen to outworn iron
Reborn for worship...
There is skill, indeed,
Among all prisoners; their memoirs show
Initiative in planning out escapes -
The secret tunnel and the papers forged
Out of near-nothings - bold adventure yarns
Read by boys (nine-to-ninety) of both sides
After the peace is safely signed...
But here
Was no escape; their walls the pounding sea
And hazy distance...
Only in this hut,
Under an arc of iron, remained their hope;
A chapel rainbow-shaped, to sing their trust
In Him, the Prince of Peace, and her, its queen,
Who gave Him human birth...
O Christ, Thou Sun
Of Justice, Mary, star of darkest seas,
Grant peace unto mankind - not the cold peace
Of death, nor the soul's death beneath steel clouds
Of tyranny; peace hammered from Thy law,
Hearts rising, falling to the restless lure
Of righteousness, as to the sun and moon
Dance the wild seas around this lonely island.
O Sol Justiciae - Tu Agnus Dei -
semper conturbat se mundus iste;
mundi Redemptor, Fons sola spei,
da pacem populis, O Jesu Christe!
Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis,
quae das hominibus dona divina,
nunc pacem Filii tui da nobis,
victis, victoribus, pacis regina!
Author notes
This poem was written in 1963 - it is here updated by one change..."twenty years" replaced by "sixty years"
The chapel, on the small island of Lamb Holm in the Orkneys (just north of Scotland) was built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II, using whatever materials they could find. The outer shell is a Nissen hut - but the inside was painted with trompe-d'oeil effects so that one feels one is in a very beautiful and ornate stone-built church.
After the War, the people of Orkney decided to keep it as a shrine for peace. For many years, the artist returned every few years to make any necessary repairs, and other ex-prisoners also came. Even now, some of their descendants regularly make a pilgrimage there. So when I wrote this poem in 1963, since I cannot write verse in Italian, I decided to write the beginning and end sections into Latin - which, being Catholics, in those days they would undoubtedly be able to understand.
(For readers without sufficient Latin, the introduction translates as:
"Here they built/equipped out of little/and adorned with art/this church;/ peace, witnessed in these things/desired by prisoners/ puts to shame, reborn/ the hot ashes of war.
The final prayer translates: O Sun of Justice - Thou art the Lamb of God-/This world is ever in turmoil/ Redeemer of the world, only Fountain of hope/ Grant peace to the nations, O Jesus Christ./
Holy Mary, pray for us/ Thou who givest divine gifts to humankind/ now give the peace of thy Son to us./ to victors and vanquished, Queen of Peace.)
A contest entry
- War & Peace by Aun Ali.
300 points, ended August 25, 2006, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Medieval/Historical related poems by TyrannyForestFairy.
1410 points, ended August 12, 2008, 28 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - contest # 77, Dona Nobis Pacem by Elvenfairy.
450 points, ended September 3, 2008, 12 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - In Search Of Silver winning rhymes by poets whisper.
400 points, ended November 8, 2008, 26 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - The Virgin Mary by Violinstrings.
650 points, ended December 20, 2008, 20 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
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another idea
i should give you points
add this poem to feature -
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Thank you - but (I apologize if this seems stupid) what does "add this poem to feature" mean?
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beautiful
this deserves to be read more and get another prize -
Nicely composed again. I like how you incorporated two languages in here. Great work, and thank you for entering
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I sat for fully five minutes at the keyboard, trying to find some way of showing appreciation for this poem. I shall just say that I was very, very moved.
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Hey buddy, thanks for entering the contest, I planned for a movement of words here on AP against the unjust wars and for peace. You all expressed well, dearly and I read whole-heartedly. I wish I could give something to all so there goes a round of applause. The Lava Oozed out at AP really made every one move and this contest will be remebered by me for years to come. Thanks for your entry.
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