A depiction of Ash Wednesday by Fałat Julian‘The Line For Ashes’: An Ash Wednesday Poem by Joseph Stuart The Society March 25, 2024 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 5 Comments . The Line For Ashes Line is long and moving slowly: Step by step, the high and lowly, Halt and limber, shorter, taller, Young and elder, greater, smaller, Plainer, fairer, pallor, color, Father, daughter, mother, brother Creeping toward the mark of dead then Signed across an offered head, an Ember from some laudatory Burnt to earth, an emblem of some Somber story… coming glory. . . Joseph Stuart is a lawyer living and practicing in Northern Virginia. He maintains a blog here: https://mightyinditers.typepad.com/hereunder/ NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 5 Responses Cynthia Erlandson March 25, 2024 This is a wonderful depiction of the Ash Wednesday event, Joseph. And I think it is made more powerful and poignant by its brevity. “Signed upon an offered head” is my favorite, very insightfully-expressed phrase. And, as short as it is, you’ve left room to bring the poem to a climax in the last several lines. Reply Paul Erlandson March 26, 2024 I truly appreciate this poem, Joseph. That’s always an “outlier” case, in which I am actually glad to be in a long queue. In addition to the things Cynthia mentioned, I really love the pairings (younger/elder, fairer/plainer, etc.). And the last two lines conclude with great power, I feel. Great job on this! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson March 26, 2024 This is a lesson of inclusion like the sacrament of communion. Regardless of status, wealth or fame, we are all alike in Christ’s name. Reply Allegra Silberstein March 26, 2024 Thank you for this great poem! Allegra Reply Margaret Coats March 29, 2024 Beautifully done, Joseph. The poem briefly yet thoroughly depicts the universality of the human condition, with its common need for offering penance. Also, because the persons are in line to receive ashes, it indicates that the ritual is one an individual cannot undertake for himself or herself, but requires both community to receive and hierarchy to perform. An excellent and thoughtful picture of the Church in one of her multifarious actions helping humankind. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Cynthia Erlandson March 25, 2024 This is a wonderful depiction of the Ash Wednesday event, Joseph. And I think it is made more powerful and poignant by its brevity. “Signed upon an offered head” is my favorite, very insightfully-expressed phrase. And, as short as it is, you’ve left room to bring the poem to a climax in the last several lines. Reply
Paul Erlandson March 26, 2024 I truly appreciate this poem, Joseph. That’s always an “outlier” case, in which I am actually glad to be in a long queue. In addition to the things Cynthia mentioned, I really love the pairings (younger/elder, fairer/plainer, etc.). And the last two lines conclude with great power, I feel. Great job on this! Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson March 26, 2024 This is a lesson of inclusion like the sacrament of communion. Regardless of status, wealth or fame, we are all alike in Christ’s name. Reply
Margaret Coats March 29, 2024 Beautifully done, Joseph. The poem briefly yet thoroughly depicts the universality of the human condition, with its common need for offering penance. Also, because the persons are in line to receive ashes, it indicates that the ritual is one an individual cannot undertake for himself or herself, but requires both community to receive and hierarchy to perform. An excellent and thoughtful picture of the Church in one of her multifarious actions helping humankind. Reply
