e-Catholic 2000 Poems of Saint Therese of Lisieux

Poems of SR. TERESA, Carmelite of Lisieux

known as
The "Little Flower of Jesus,"

THE DIVINE JUDGMENT:

I answer from My throne thy voice that calls My name.
I break thy iron bands, thy bitter foes I shame.
Fly, fly thou pure white dove, to Me, thy Spouse, thy King!
Come, reign with Me in heaven, where Saints thy praise shall sing.

O Jeanne, thy angel brings thee grace;
And I, the Judge of all thy race,
Beside My own throne give thee place,
And this proclaim:
Even in thee I saw love's holy flame.

Thou shalt be crowned. Oh, come to Me!
Thy tears My hand shall wipe away;
My kiss divine I give to thee;
I crown with joy thy griefs to-day.

With thy companions come

To My eternal home;
In heavenly valleys roam,
Following the Lamb.

Soul, well-beloved by Me,
Lo! I have ransomed thee!
Sing the new song, and be
Where'er I am.

Past is thy fleeting shame!
Angels exalt thy name,
Singing thy saintly fame,
Close to My throne.

Ah, timid shepherdess!
Virgin in warrior's dress!
Thy name the world shall bless,
Heavenward blown.
Ah, timid shepherdess!
Virgin in warrior's dress!
All heaven is now thine own.

THE CANTICLE OF TRIUMPH.

THE SAINTS TO JEANNE D'ARC:

The immortal crown to thee, O Jeanne! we bear;
Thou martyr of high God! to thee the palm we bring;
A glorious throne for thee our loving hands prepare,
Beside the King.
Rest now in heaven at last, rest now in heaven, pure bride,
Escaped forevermore from every net and snare!
In endless peace behold! the living waters glide
'Mid fields bestrewn with flowers most fair!
Take thou thy flight; expand thy wings of snow;
For swiftly shalt thou speed from star to golden star.
Through heaven's eternal space, all joyous shalt thou go.
Fly now afar!
No cruel foes are here, no gloomy prison walls;
The shining seraph hosts hail thee their sister blest;
For thee, O spouse of Christ: thy Well Beloved calls.
Find now with Him eternal rest!

JEANNE:

He is my Own. what ecstacy divine!
All heaven is mine own!

THE SAINTS:

All heaven is thine own!

JEANNE:

The angels and the saints, Mary and God, are mine.
They are mine own!

THE SAINTS:

Upon the far off earth ages have passed away,
Since thou didst pass from thence to heaven's eternal joy,
A thousand years in heaven seem but one little day.
O endless day, without alloy!

JEANNE:

O endless day, without or cloud or shade,
No power can snatch from me thy glory all divine!
The passing show of earth from off my sight doth fade,
And heaven is mine!

THE SAINTS:

And heaven is thine!

PRAYER OF FRANCE TO THE VENERABLE JEANNE D'ARC:

In heaven remember, Jeanne, your fatherland,
Remember all her valleys decked with flowers;
Recall the smiling plains, the mountains grand,
You left, to dry her tears, in other hours.
Remember how your arm saved France from deadly foes;
How, like an angel sent from heaven, you cured her woes!
Hear, in her night of pain,
France call on you again:
Remember now!

Remember those great victories you won,
Rheims, Orleans; those memorable days,
When, in God's name, grand deeds by you were done,
Crowning your land with laurels and with bays.
Now, far away from you, I suffer and I sigh.
Come once again to save, who once for me didst die!
Deign now to break my chains,
And all my present pains
Remember now!

My arms with fetters bound, to you I cry,
Dim are my eyes with tears, oh, bring relief!
No longer great among earth's queens am I,
And mine own children pierce my heart with grief.
No more for God they care; their Mother they despise.
O Jeanne, compassionate my myriad miseriesl
Daughter of noble heart,
Oh, come, and take my part.
I hope in thee.

CANTICLE TO OBTAIN THE CANONIZATION OF THE VENERABLE JEANNE D'ARC.

Thy Church, O conquering God! through all the earth,
Begs Thee to crown with the saint's roval crown,
A virgin, martvr, warrior, whose true worth
In heaven's high courts e'en now hath won renown.
Our tumults calm;
Her cause advance!
The halo and the palm
Give unto Jeanne of France!
For guilty France we do not ask from Thee
A mighty conquerer with mail clad horde.
Far better help Jeanne's prayer can gain than he!
One martyr doth outshine all heroes, Lord!

Jeanne is Thy glorious handiwork alone;
A heart of fire, a soldier's soul of steel,
Thou gavest to Thine handmaid, all Thine own,
With lily and laurel crowned, for woe or weal.

Beside her flock she heard the high command, -
Voices from heaven called her to the fray;
So she left all, to save her fatherland;
Conquered by her, the foe fled far away.
To martial hosts she brought God's saving grace;
Her eyes like heaven, her words like burning flame,
Her holiness like theirs who see God's Face.
Bowed sinful souls in penitence and shame.

(O marvel ne'er before in history told!)
A kingdom's crown and glory all undone,
From the strong grasp of the invaders bold,
By a young maiden's feeble arm are won.

Not thy great victories, O Jeanne so blest!
Thy countrymen to celebrate are come;
But thy true glories here they would attest,
Thy purity, thy love, thy martyrdom.

Though she saved France, hers was yet loftier grace,
The gift Christ gave to those who loved Him best,
Beside His cross to have the nearest place,
He gave to Jeanne, before He gave her rest.

In that last torture of consuming fire
She heard her "voices" speak once more her name,
And left earth's exile for her heart's desire,
Angel of France! up that steep path of flame.

Daughter of God! deign now our voice to hear!
Descend to us with thy sweet heavenly glance!
Come, and convert the land to thee so dear!
A second time, a second time, save France!

By God's great power
In thee displayed,
Save France! O come, save France,
Thou saintly warrior maid!

Glorious' O thou strong child of God! wast thou,
When English hosts to meet thee did not dare;
Yet, in thy father's fields,- remember now,-
Once weak and tender lambs were in thy care.

Of all the weak
Be the defence!
In hearts of children meek,
Preserve their innocence!

Sweet martyr! keep our convents in thy care!
Our virgins are thy sisters, each thine own,
And like to thine the object of their prayer,--
To see God reign in every heart alone.

This their desire,
All souls to save.
Now let them share thy fire,
Apostle, martyr brave!

When holy Church shall give thee crown and palm,
How swiftly every fear in us will faint!
Then can we sing in loud afid rapturous psalm,
To Jeanne, our virgin, martyr, warrior,saint,-

God grants us hope
Through thee today
Saint Jeanne, Saint Jeanne of
France, Pray for thy
country, pray!

1894.

* Sister Teresa's full name in religion was Sister Teresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face

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