Crucifixion Graham SutherlandOur 24-year-old daughter Emily watched the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral recently and it was so old (1994) that it was new for her. She was moved by the W.H. Auden poem recited at the one funeral of the film. There is such a sense of desolation in the poem, called Funeral Blues, and the mood strikes me as suitable for Good Friday. We are meant to be bereft in the midst of loss, even though we know the end of the story with the hope of the resurrection.
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with the juicy bone.
Silence the pianos and, with muffled drum,
Bring out the coffin. Let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling in the sky the message: “He is dead!”
Put crepe bows around the white necks of the public doves.
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my north, my south, my east and west,
My working week and Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song.
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one.
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can come to any good.
I hope this day will have deep meaning for you.
I also watched this movie recently but unlike Emily had seen it before. I found the poem stirring and thought provoking. It was dedicated to a rather crazy, fun loving character and the poem portrayed the sense of profound loss felt by all at the funeral, especially the person reading it. Yes, this poem is suitable for Good Friday and our sense of loss and despair...but we know the Hope of Resurrection and can turn to the line that says I thought that love would last forever and know that His love does and always will.
ReplyDeleteLovely reflection --thank you.
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