Yesterday was a Four Great Blue Day.  Populations are said to be increasing!
​

In the dooryard fronting an old farm-house near the white-wash’d palings, 
Stands the lilac-bush tall-growing with heart-shaped leaves of rich green, 
With many a pointed blossom rising delicate, with the perfume strong I love, 
With every leaf a miracle—and from this bush in the dooryard, 
With delicate-color’d blossoms and heart-shaped leaves of rich green, 
A sprig with its flower I break. 


Walt Whitman

​[in Just-]
By E. E. Cummings
in Just-
spring          when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
 
whistles          far          and wee
 
and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring
 
when the world is puddle-wonderful
 
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far          and             wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
 
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
 
it's
spring
and
 
         the
 
                  goat-footed
 
balloonMan          whistles
far
and
wee

"I Will Keep Broken Things"
I will keep
Broken
Things:
The big clay
Pot
With raised
Iguanas
Chasing
Their
Tails;
Two
Of their
Wise
Heads
Sheared
Off;
I will keep
Broken
things:
The old
Slave
Market
Basket
Brought
To my
Door
By Mississippi
A jagged
Hole
Gouged
In its sturdy
Dark
Oak
Side.
I will keep
Broken
things:
The memory
Of
Those
Long
Delicious
Night
Swims
With
You;
I will keep
Broken
things:
In my house
There
Remains
An
Honored
Shelf
On which
I will
Keep
Broken
Things.
Their beauty
Is
They
Need
Not
Ever
Be
‘fixed.’
I will keep
Your
Wild
Free
Laughter
Though
It is now
Missing
Its
Reassuring
And
Graceful
Hinge.
I will keep
Broken
Things:
Thank you
So much!
I will keep
Broken
Things.
I will keep
You:
Pilgrim
Of
Sorrow.
I will keep
Myself.
~Alice Walker

Stabat Mater Dolorosa

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)for soprano and alto solo
 
Stabat Mater dolorosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
Dum pendebat Filius.

The grieving Mother 
stood weeping beside the cross 
where her Son was hanging.

Cuius animam gementem
Contristatam et dolentem
Pertransivit gladius.

Through her weeping soul, 
compassionate and grieving, 
a sword passed.

O quam tristis et afflicta
Fuit illa benedicta
Mater unigeniti!

O how sad and afflicted 
was that blessed Mother 
of the only-begotten!

Quae moerebat et dolebat,
Pia Mater, dum videbat
Nati poenas incliti.

Who mourned and grieved, 
seeing and bearing the torment 
of her glorious child.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret
In tanto supplicio?

Who is it that would not weep, 
seeing Christ’s Mother 
in such agony?

Vidit suum dulcem natum
Moriendo desolatum
Dum emisit spiritum.

She saw her sweet child
die desolate,
as he gave up His spirit.

Eja Mater, fons amoris 
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O Mother, fountain of love,
make me feel the power of sorrow, 
that I may grieve with you.

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum 
In amando Christum Deum 
Ut sibi complaceam.

Grant that my heart may burn 
in the love of Christ my God, 
that I may greatly please Him.

Sancta Mater, istud agas, 
Crucifixi fige plagas 
cordi meo valide.

Holy Mother, may you do thus:
place the wounds of the Crucified
deep in my heart.

Fac ut portem Christi mortem, 
passionis fac consortem, 
et plagas recolere.

Make me to bear Christ's death,
sharing in His passion,
and commemorate his wounds.

Inflammatus et accensus 
per te, Virgo, sim defensus
in die iudicii.

Inflame and set on fire, 
may I be defended by you, Virgin, 
on the day of judgment.

Fac me cruce custodiri 
morte Christi praemuniri 
confoveri gratia.

Let me be guarded by the cross, 
armed by Christ's death 
and His cherished by His grace.

Quando corpus morietur, 
fac ut animæ donetur 
Paradisi gloria. Amen.

When my body dies, 
grant that to my soul is given 
the glory of paradise. Amen.
​
© Hans van der Velden
13th century Franciscan hymn