Ave Maria
I wish I could sing Ave Maria,
Like the girl in the church
at the heartbreaking funeral;
I wish I could sing.
Frankincense and myrrh,
cedar and sandalwood,
Resins and oils and
the essence of flowers
all hung in the air.
And her voice rose up searing,
serenely and sweetly
with the force of lament.
….Oh Ave Maria….gratia plena…
nobiscum in hora mortis nostrae…
So young lay our friend,
not a sound from his coffin.
And John was a singer,
good songs aren’t forgotten.
Ave Maria..
they’re remembered forever,
Oh Ave Maria…I wish I could sing.
Kristine Byrne 4th Feb. 2019