Digby Mackworth Dolben

The Annunciation

On the silent ages breaking
 Comes the sweet Annunciation:
The eternal Ave waking,
 Changes Eva's condemnation.

How at Nazareth the Archangel
 Hailed the dear predestined maiden
Read from out the Great Evangel
 We, the sin and sorrow-laden.

For to-day the Church rejoices
 In the angelic salutation,
And to-day ten thousand voices
 Hail the Mother of salvation.

Hail, amid the shades descending
 Round our humble oratory!
Hail, amid the light unending
 Of the beatific Glory!

Hail, in city Galilean
 To the maid of lowly station!
Hail, in city empyrean
 To the Queen of all creation!

Hail, O Mother of compassion!
 Hail, O Mother of fair love!
Hail, our Lady of the Passion!
 Hail beneath and hail above!

Where she stands, our mother Mary,
 In her human majesty,
Nearest to the sanctuary
 Of the awful Trinity.

May she prove once more a Mother,
 Plead that He, her dearest Son,
Who through her became our Brother,
 Would His sinful brethren own.

With the Father and the Spirit,
 Son of Mary, Thee we praise;
By Thine Incarnation's merit
 Turn on us a Brother's face!

Amen