Blog
O Emmanuel
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour: Come and save us, O Lord our God. Therefore the Lord himself will...
O King of Nations
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay. He...
O Morning Star
O Oriens,splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris,et umbra mortis. O Morning Star,splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:Come and enlighten those who dwell in darknessand the shadow of death. The people who walked...
O Key of David
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;qui aperis, et nemo claudit;claudis, et nemo aperit:veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Key of David and scepter of the House of Israel;you open and no one can shut;you shut and no...
O Root of Jesse
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples; before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations...
O Adonai
O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel,qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,et ei in Sina legem dedisti:veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bushand gave him the law on...
O Wisdom
The "O Antiphons" begin: O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae. O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the...
On writing in a post-truth world
Some thoughts from those wiser than I: “Ideology is a specious way of relating to the world. It offers human beings the illusion of an identity, of dignity, and of morality while making it easier for them to part with them. As the repository of something suprapersonal...
Countering historical amnesia
A promising attempt to recall conveniently forgotten episodes in US history recently debuted at NPR with a story on the CIA-engineered overthrow of Iran’s constitutionally legitimate prime minister, Mohammad Modsaddegh, in 1953. It’s worth a listen and even makes room...
The Fig
Here's a recording of me reading from my 2013 poetry collection, Flesh Becomes Word, published by Dos Madres Press. The accompanying image is shared here courtesy of John Volck, who happens to be my brother and a visual artist of breathtaking ability. The Fig...
