Four Advent Villanelles from Anna A. Friedrich
by Anna A. Friedrich
Advent I
More of Your Light— more light is what we need— a sudden flash, or rising sun, however you will come— Come! and be the dawn, we plead with You. Shadow covers our earth aspeed, while we, like frightened cave-dwellers, cower blue-lit. But light—Your Light is what we need. No cave can be our home, why do we feed the bellowing, beleaguered, hidden monster? —his voice is night. LORD, be the dawn, we plead again! Break into each old lair and read our secret drawings, etched in hope, in fear— Let there be light! Your Light is what we need. Our only rescue? By Your hand. Come lead us out, lost in tunnels getting darker, bring us to break of day, to dawn! We plead for heaven’s rending— Oh let daylight bleed into the cracks, split this stone asunder until our nights be day—more light, we need! Blind us with light! Come! be our Dawn, we plead.
Advent II
Who prays for fire? Who prays for judgement’s flame? We want things cool, a tepid song we sing. But He will come to purify, to name the dross, the gold, who to bless, who to blame. —He finds in each a glorious ruin. What can clarify us but holy flame? A revelatory spark flared when John came: Repent! The Great Refiner’s coming! Bring all you are, let him purify and name you: Daughter. Son. Hear your Father exclaim! Look to the Fourth Man in the fire, cling to Him whose clothes carry no smell of flame. He’s gone before us— Wild. True. Not tame. Our Brother in this choking smoke— our King! We wait for Him to purify, to name and to consume all that destroys. His claim? All of creation— His — everything. We pray for His fire. We trust this flame. He comes to purify. Praise His Name.
Advent III
after Psalm 81
There’s honey from the rock, You promise us. That hard place, in the Wilderness of Sin— it’s there You make the grumblers joyous. We expect water — still miraculous — a stricken stone is no well, no fountain. Yet honey from the rock You promise us. What kind of sweet provision, Lord, is this? The work of bees to revive us again? —Your good creation hums. (Grumblers, rejoice!) You turn from Your hot anger; turn to us— hands hanging limp; our dried-out mouths open. Fill us with laughter and rich food— You promised us restoration: for peace and righteousness to kiss! Let every grumbler say Amen! May it be so! —May all grumblers rejoice. I’m standing at the rock, O Lord, joyless. But You’re the One struck, the Rock split open. —There’s honey from this Rock, You promise us. I am the guilty grumbler. Make me joyous!
Advent IV
Our Shepherd, we want to know You are good. To know it as a mother knows her child in utero— another life, inside that grows, surprises, kicks. But Oh! Instead we see You as the hungry wolf. A bared- teeth god, snarling. Show us that You are good— You comfort (and confront) with staff in hand, through every shadowed valley. Shepherd, guide us to green pastures! You say life’s inside the sheep gate —True Life — and You’re the Way. Lead us there. Waiting in darkness leaves us scared. We are the sheep of Your hand, are you good at tending flocks, by night? Keep watch, Shepherd! It’s lambing season; we are sleepy-eyed —when glory fills the sky! The life inside of each of us stirs! We’re driven to find the child in the holy cave beside the creatures and the hay— the Lamb! O Good Shepherd! You’ve come to give Your Life, from the inside.
These original poems were written by Anna A. Friedrich, for Church of the Cross, Boston, for the 2024 Advent season. They were commissioned by CotC, thanks to the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship’s Vital Worship Grant for Worshipping Communities.




Yes. "Who asks for fire?"
Thank you for sharing these beautiful Advent poem-meditations.