A Song for Anna—Andy Patton

In honor of Candlemas, the holiday that commemorates Jesus’ dedication in the temple in Luke 2, we’re sharing poems that reflect on that experience from the perspective of Simeon and Anna.

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by Andy Patton

Luke 2:37 “She did not depart from the temple worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day…”

I.

Lord, I sleep in and out of days now.
I smell lilac and holy smoke.
The stone is smooth with feet
And cold on my old cheek.
I am known here as a curiosity.
People come with bleating sheep leaving their droppings,
And hawkers crying with birds,
And liars lying and coins clattering on tables.
They send boys with bits of bread
To move me out of the way.

I wonder if any of us should be here.

At night, there is the silence
And the long longing. My God
I tarry here for you! I mourn
For Jerusalem to any who will listen. I pray
For all of this to be overthrown,
And for the things that needed more than time.
Have mercy on us.
Do not forget this one who has seen
A thousand winters who knows the waiting
As though it were her own name.

II.

When the boy came I knew him
At a glance. I pressed my face to the stone
And cried. Lord, you have been kind to Anna.
I asked to hold him. These lips touched
The burning coal and felt the firekiss.
Things were limned in light
And I promised myself to it.
Already I know my life
Lifts toward the sunless city
But what I feel is the warmth on my face.

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Andy Patton is the creator of the Darkling Psalter, a collection of creative renditions of the Psalms paired with new poems. He holds an M.A. in theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He works for the Rabbit Room and is a former staff member at L'Abri Fellowship in England.

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