Supreme among the things create
Omnipotence revealed below,
More swift than thought, more strong than fate,
Such, such, Humility, art thou!
All strength beside is weakness. Might
Belongs to God: and they alone,
Self-emptied souls and seeming-slight,
Are filled with God and share his throne.
O Mary! strong wert thou and meek;
Thy meekness gave thee strength divine:
Thyself in nothing didst thou seek;
Therefore thy Maker made Him thine.
Through Pride our parents disobeyed;
Rebellious Sense avenged the crime:
The soul, the body's captive made,
Became the branded thrall of time.
With barrenness the earth was cursed;
Inviolate she brought forth no more
Her fruits, nor freely as at first:—
Thou cam'st, her Eden to restore!
Low breathes the wind upon the string;
The harp, responsive, sounds in turn:
Thus o'er thy Soul the Spirit's wing
Creative passed; and Christ was born.