homily † up soared the lark into the air a shaft of song, a wingéd prayer as if a soul released from pain to Heaven would fly back again st francis heard : it was to him an emblem of the seraphim the upward motion of the fire the light, the heat, the heart's desire around assisi's convent gate the birds : god's poor who cannot wait from moor and mere and darksome wood come flocking for their dole of food he knew not if the brotherhood his homily had understood he only knew that to One ear the meaning of his words was clear "o brother birds" st francis said "ye come to me and ask for bread but not with bread alone today shall ye be fed and sent away ye shall be fed, ye happy birds with manna of celestial words : not mine, though mine they seem to be not mine, though they be spoke through me o! doubly are ye bound to praise the great creator in your lays He giveth you your plumes of down your crimson hoods, your cloaks of brown" he knew not if the brotherhood his homily had understood he only knew that to One ear the meaning of his words was clear "He giveth you your wings to fly and breathe a purer air on high and careth for you everywhere who for yourselves so little care" with flutter of swift wings and songs together rose the feathered throngs and singing scattered far apart deep peace was in st francis' heart he knew not if the brotherhood his homily had understood he only knew that to One ear the meaning of his words was clear : and from one voice alone who knew the song would echo, long and true ~ † adapted from henry wadsworth longfellow, "the sermon of st francis" [masque of pandora and other poems :: birds of passage : flight the fourth :: 1875] https://www.hwlongfellow.org/poems_poem.php?pid=232 sound design and illustration by rjh and chat-gpt 6 astra (light)
