10-27-2016, 11:20 AM
This is very intricately and subtly assembled - the scheme of near-rhymes from stanza to stanza is almost missable until you read back through, looking for it.
The stanza of kings, I couldn't help being reminded of King David's last words ("He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, as the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds. As the tender grass, springing out of the earth by clear shining." [KJV]). (Thank you, Randall Thompson, after all these years.)
The final stanza didn't quite work for me. Speaking of God's qualities and attributes in absolute terms is perfectly satisfactory, but I guess I was hoping for a Lord of Men or Lord of Gods stanza. Guess it has to stop somewhere, or you end up with angels and archangels. Sorry, just an old authoritarian, me.
A few seeming modern references, but very good. Thanks for posting!
The stanza of kings, I couldn't help being reminded of King David's last words ("He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, as the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds. As the tender grass, springing out of the earth by clear shining." [KJV]). (Thank you, Randall Thompson, after all these years.)
The final stanza didn't quite work for me. Speaking of God's qualities and attributes in absolute terms is perfectly satisfactory, but I guess I was hoping for a Lord of Men or Lord of Gods stanza. Guess it has to stop somewhere, or you end up with angels and archangels. Sorry, just an old authoritarian, me.
A few seeming modern references, but very good. Thanks for posting!
Non-practicing atheist