In Advent Stillness

In Advent stillness and its purpled nights
We turn within and with a solemn gaze
Consider well our soul’s more recondite
And sundry impulses: the many ways
By which we hamper grace’s sweet release
And godly intuitions misappraise.
Within that holy mood we sense the cease
Of wayward thoughts, the birth of something wise.
We should not, though, be fooled by Advent’s peace.
Its quiet introspection can disguise
What truly on that Night of Nights transpired:
The shepherds shook beneath the riven skies
At what excited so the angel choir:
A baby who would set the world on fire.

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Jeffrey Essmann is an essayist and poet living in New York. His poetry has appeared in numerous magazines and literary journals, among them Agape Review, America Magazine, Dappled Things, the St. Austin Review, U.S. Catholic, Grand Little Things, Heart of Flesh Literary Journal, and various venues of the Benedictine monastery with which he is an oblate. He is editor of the Catholic Poetry Room page on the Integrated Catholic Life website.

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11 Responses

  4. Cynthia Erlandson

    Beautiful! I love the 14-line terza rima (a Dantean sonnet?) “Purpled nights”; “the birth of something wise”; and that last amazing line. This is a very lovely Advent meditation.

    Reply
    • Jeffrey Essmann

      Yes, indeed, Cynthia, a terza rima sonnet (thank you, Dante!). I love the “braiding” (ditto for Spenserian sonnets). Hope all is well. So happy to have “Before Abraham Was” in the CPR this week!

      Reply
  5. Roy Eugene Peterson

    This is a perfect prelude to read and contemplate prior to Christmas.

    Reply
  6. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Jeffrey, you have captured the enormity of the miraculous gift that changed the world in words that have captured my heart and turned my head. The closing four lines sing to my very soul. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Margaret Coats

    “Purpled nights” salutes the liturgical color and darkness of the time of year. The octave of the sonnet recognizes correction and purgation as appropriate activity–then the volta veers (just as appropriately) toward the coming which is the meaning of Advent. Nice turn, Jeffrey, with the heaven-shaking events pointing toward earth-shaking purgation to be brought by the Babe.

    Reply
  8. Jeffrey Essmann

    Thanks so much, everyone. Advent is one of my favorite liturgical seasons, so much so that I hesitated at first to even try to capture my feelings about it. (Then my Poetic Guardian Angel nudged me and reminded me, “If the material doesn’t scare you, why bother?”) So I’m thrilled that it touched a chord with all of you. Thanks again, and a very blessed Advent to you all.

    Reply
  9. Gigi Ryan

    Dear Jeffrey,
    I love how you worked the Liturgical color of advent into your description of the sky. The ending – “a baby who set the world on fire” thrilled me. Thank you.
    Gigi

    Reply
  10. Shamik Banerjee

    Mr. Essmann, your sonnet beautifully presents the two contrasting themes of this liturgical season: the peace and stillness that pervades our hearts and The Event that shook the world forever. Thank you for sharing. God bless!

    Reply

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