22nd July is Mary Magdalene’s day, and continuing my sequence of sonnets written in response to the church year I post this for her. As usual you can hear the poem by clicking on its title or on the ‘play’ button.
The entire sonnet sequence, to be called Sounding the Seasons, will be published by Canterbury Press, later this year.
Men called you light so as to load you down,
And burden you with their own weight of sin,
A woman forced to cover and contain
Those seven devils sent by Everyman.
But one man set you free and took your part
One man knew and loved you to the core
The broken alabaster of your heart
Revealed to Him alone a hidden door,
Into a garden where the fountain sealed,
Could flow at last for him in healing tears,
Till, in another garden, he revealed
The perfect Love that cast out all your fears,
And quickened you with love’s own sway and swing,
As light and lovely as the news you bring.
Malcolm Guite 
Mary Magdalene, the woman so many women can identify with. The painting is Fra Angelico I am guessing. You have in me a committed purchaser of your book of poems when Canterbury publishes it. Thank you.
Websites under construction. I am still figuring out how to give form to On Being a Christian Artist website.
Thanks Elizabeth. The painting is indeed Fra Angelico!
Your sonnet conveys so much in so few words – inspirational – it’s helping my preaching preparation for Sunday – thank you.
Thanks Nancy, glad it will help with the parching, that’s one of the things these sonnets are for!
M
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