Saturday, July 31, 2010

Naming the Hours (Psalm 113)


MATINS



TODAY WE HAVE THE NAMING OF HOURS

AS OUR DAY BEGINS

WITH THE NURSE WAKING US

TO TAKE OUR TEMPERATURE

AND OUR PULSE

WE HAVE GREETED THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

ALL AROUND I HEAR

SORRY TO WAKE YOU

A LITTLE HIGH THIS MORNING

A LITTLE LOW

TAKE THIS MAGIC PILL

TO MAKE IT RIGHT

AND WE BEGIN THE DAY

BY TRYING TO GO BACK TO SLEEP

BUT NOT BEFORE I THINK OR SAY



LET THE NAME OF THE LORD BE PRAISED, BOTH NOW AND FOREVERMORE. FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN

TO THE PLACE WHERE IT SETS, THE NAME OF THE LORD BE PRAISED.



LAUDS



NOW IT BEGINS

THE WAKE UP CALL WITH BREAKFAST

AND THE MAGIC PILLS AGAIN

AND TEMPERATURE

AND PULSE

BRIGHT WITH PROMISE

WE BEGIN OUR DAY



O LORD, OPEN MY LIPS, AND MY MOUTH WILL DECLARE YOUR PRAISE



IN THE MORNING, O LORD, YOU HEAR MY VOICE; IN THE MORNING I LAY MY REQUESTS BEFORE YOU AND WAIT IN EXPECTATION



SATISFY US IN THE MORNING

WITH YOUR UNFAILING LOVE,

THAT WE MAY SING FOR JOY

AND BE GLAD

ALL OUR DAYS



THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH

AND MY SHIELD;

MY HEART TRUSTS IN HIM,

AND I AM HELPED.

MY HEART LEAPS FOR JOY

AND I WILL GIVE THANKS TO HIM IN SONG





PRIME



WE ARE ASKED TO BEGIN THE DAY’S WORK

WHETHER RESTING OR HEALING

TESTING OR EATING

SLEEPING OR STARING AT THE WALL

BUT FIRST WE WASH

OR OTHERS WASH US





CLEANSE ME WITH HYSSOP,

AND I WILL BE CLEAN; WASH ME,

AND I WILL BE WHITER

THAN SNOW



TERCE





COFFEE BREAK TIME

NO ONE HAS EVER CALLED IT THAT

A MID MORNING RECOLLECTION

OF WHO WE ARE



THE LORD WILL SUSTAIN HIM

ON HIS SICKBED

AND RESTORE HIM

FROM HIS BED

OF ILLNESS



RESTORE TO ME

THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION

AND GRANT ME

A WILLING SPIRIT

TO SUSTAIN





SEXT





WE GIVE THANKS FOR OUR FOOD

AND ITS DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

NO SUGAR ADDED

OR NO SALT

BUT THE PORTION LOOKS INCREDIBLY SMALL





BE ALERT

FOR YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL

PROWLS AROUND

LIKE A ROARING LION

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE

TO DEVOUR



HE GIVES FOOD

TO EVERY CREATURE

HIS LOVE ENDURES

FOREVER





HE RAINED DOWN MANNA

FOR THE PEOPLE TO EAT HE GAVE THEM

THE GRAIN OF HEAVEN MEN ATE THE BREAD OF ANGELS

HE SENT THEM

ALL

THE FOOD

THEY COULD EAT





NONE





TEMPERATURE AND PULSE TIME AGAIN

THE GATHERING OF THE ENDS OF THE DAY

MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR SUPPER

PERHAPS A NAP

A QUIET RESTFUL TIME

A TIME TO SAY







BUT I HAVE STILLED

AND QUIETED MY SOUL

LIKE A WEANED CHILD

WITH ITS MOTHER

LIKE A WEANED CHILD

IS MY SOUL WITHIN ME





YOUR SUN WILL NEVER SET AGAIN

AND YOUR MOON

WILL WANE NO MORE

THE LORD

WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT

AND YOUR DAYS OF SORROW WILL END





VESPERS





WE HAVE WASHED OUR FACE FOR EVENING

WE’VE HAD OUR TEMPERATURE AND PULSE TAKEN

A FINAL ROUND OF PILLS

A CERTAIN SENSE OF SADNESS

AT THE END OF THE DAY

A CERTAIN SENSE OF FRIGHT

AT THE COMING OF THE NIGHT

A CERTAIN SENSE

OF BEING HELD IN GOD’S HAND



O LORD

I CALL UPON YOU;

HASTEN TO ME GIVE EAR TO MY VOICE

WHEN I CALL TO YOULET MY PRAYER RISE UP

LIKE INCENSE BEFORE YOU, THE LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS

AS THE EVENING SACRIFICE!SET A GUARD, O LORD

OVER MY MOUTH KEEP WATCH

OVER THE DOOR OF MY LIPS





THE LORD

WILL SUSTAIN HIM

ON HIS SICKBED

AND RESTORE HIM

FROM HIS BED

OF ILLNESS







COMPLINE





IT’S TIME FOR GOING TO BED

THE LORD GRANT US A PEACEFUL

PAIN FREE NIGHT

AND LET US WAKE UP SINGING





I WILL BOTH LIE DOWN

AND SLEEP

FOR YOU ALONE

O LORD

MAKE ME DWELL

IN SAFETY





KEEP US O LORD

AS THE APPLE OF THINE EYE

PROTECT US

UNDER THE SHADOW

OF YOUR WINGS

THE LORD BE WITH US

AND ALL OUR ABSENT

BROTHERS AND SISTERS



AMEN SO BE IT AMEN





FRANK A VOLLMER

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