Monday 15 June 2015

Kingo at his simple and straightforward best


The tenth song
Is a thanksgiving after Holy Communion

Soul’s shepherd, Jesu, thanks to thee
     Eternally,
And for thy death, soul’s remedy
     Whereby thou rescuedst me.

Thy body and thy blood I’d praise,
     My soul’s delight;
The meat and drink that can erase
     The serpent’s hate and bite.

I still can taste how sweet thou art
     To mouth and mind,
Yet hold thee closest in my heart,
     Where thou hast been enshrined.

You worldly lusts depart from me,
     I never more,
No nevermore your friend shall be,
     But bring you to God’s law.

O JEsu, let thy body’s bread
     And blood-filled bowl,
Refresh me even until death,
     Then I’ll have reached my goal.

1 comment:

John Irons said...

i think the power is partly the result of a simple vocabulary of monosyllable words. We're in the late 17th century, but here there is no magniloquenza. And this increases the poem's force.