Flower of youth, poems in war time/Unhousel'd, Unanointed, Unanel'd

by Katharine Tynan

 

"UNHOUSEL'D, UNANOINTED, UNANEL'D"

When these men must go alone
Sans an absolution,
When their sins are heavy as lead,
Thou Thyself will lift the head;
Thou, High Priest, wilt whisper low,
Te Absolvo! ere they go.

When there is no sacrifice,
Bread and Wine for Thy disguise,
Come Thou in the Spirit then;
As at Agincourt our men
With desire a blade of grass
Served as Eucharist and Mass.

Lay Thyself the oil on lips,
Limbs and eyes, before the eclipse—
As once Magdalen did to Thee—
And so speed them, safe and free,
To lie down with Thee a while
And to waken to Thy smile.

They shall sit down at the Feast
Where Thou are Sacrament and Priest.