Reflections on Spiritual Songs

Inspired by McLaren's mysticism, I picked up my collected works of St. John of the Cross, which includes some remarkable poetry. Normally, I'm not a poetry type person. I tend to enjoy a beautiful novel or short story. But, this stuff is an exception. St. John was a Catholic mystic from Spain who lived in the 16th century. One of his more well-known works is The Dark Night. Here's one poem in particular that I love.

A lone young shepherd lived in pain
withdrawn from pleasure and contentment
his thoughts fixed on a shepherd-girl
his heart an open wound with love.

He weeps, but not from the would of love,
there is no pain in such affliction
even though the heart is pierced;
he weeps in knowing he's been forgotten.

That one thought: his shining one
has forgotten him, is such great pain
that he bows to brutal handling in a foreign land,
his heart an open wound with love.

The shepherd says: I pity the one
who draws herself back from my love,
and does not seek the joy of my presences,
though my heart is an open wound with love for her.

After a long time he climbed a tree,
and spread his shining arms,
and hung by them, and died,
his heart an open wound with love.