Of the Incarnation of the Divine Word
REJOICE, O Human Nature! Christ hath floweredFrom virgin flesh, in purity embowered.
O Human Nature, dark and poor and low,Like withered grass, a-droop for Death to mow,Thy Bridegroom lifts thee up from sin and woe ;Then bloom and grow,And thank thy Love and Lord.
Thy Lord and Love, the Flower of Purity,Born in the field of fair Virginity,He is the Lily of Humanity,All sweetness He,All fragrant and adored.
Adored the fragrance that from Heaven He bore,Heaven, the fair garden where He bloomed of yore;Yea, God the Father sent Him through this Door,Wreathed o'er and o'er,And twined with many a flower.
A Flower of Nazareth was first His Name,Who from the Rod of Jesse blooming came,Springing in time of flowers ; and all his aimLove, like a flame,Upon mankind to shower.
To shower His Charity most infinite:This have I seen in Christ, that is my Light ;Mankind to God He draws, and doth unite,And all delightHe gives, and all reward.
Reward He doth receive with lowliness,The people come with pomp, His name to bless,City and wayside wear a flowery dress,All, all confessAnd greet Him as their Lord.
Their Lord He is, they give Him reverence,Yet when He is condemned, for none offence,The changeful populace would drive Him hence,With no defence,Such blindness holds their sight.
Their sight is veiled, the Truth they will not see ;The crimson rose of suffering Charity,Empurpled by their cruel blows must be,Its hues must flee,And lose their colours bright.
Colours so bright and fair, that Nature gave,Are now brought low, made livid as the grave,And yet that pain He bears, most sweet, most brave,Nor seeks to saveHis valour and His might.
His might and strength are all humiliate ;That fragrant Flower is crushed and desolate ;Encircled by the pungent thorns of hate,His splendour's stateIs dimmed and veiled in night.
In night is drowned that Splendour of the Day,While suffering holds her melancholy sway ;And in a sepulchre is hid awayThe Light, the Way,Hid in a flowery place.
A place wherein that Flower may sleep and rest,And rise again, re-born from Darkness' breast,In bodily form and bodily pureness drest,The Visible Blest,In radiance and in grace.
Grace, radiance, in that garden did He shed,Upon the Magdalen, who mourned Him dead;And in her sorrow she was comforted,Her love was fed,Her tender heart consoled.
Consoled the hearts of His disciples too,And from their grief fresh flowers of love He drew;There in the Garden, with His servants true,His sheep He knew;They sing as they behold!
Behold, e'en doubting Thomas didst Thou gain,Showing Thy wounds, sweet flowers without a stain,He gazed, O blushing Rose, and gazed again;And he was fainTo cry out fervently.
Fervently loving, all inebriate,His heart was joyous and exhilarate,And gazing on Thy Glory Uncreate,He knew Thee straight,His God, His Lord to be.
To be the King of Glory in the skies,Back to Thy Father, crowned with victories,Hailed by the sound of angels' harmonies,Thou didst ariseIn Honour's Seat to sit.
To sit, and share Thine honour with Thine own,Who follow in the Way that Thou hast shown;To send Thy Fiery Spirit streaming down,Their hearts to crownWith ardours infinite.
Words in this poem 23
- bridegroom n.
- A man newly married, or just about to be married. [OE. bridegome, brudgume, AS. br (akin to OS. br, D. bruidegom, bruigom, OHG. pr, MHG. briutegome, G. bräutigam); AS. br bride + guma man, akin to Goth. guma, Ic]
- thank n.
- A expression of gratitude; an acknowledgment expressive of a sense of favor or kindness received; obligation, claim, or desert, or gratitude; -- now generally used in the plural. [AS. Þanc, Þonc, thanks, favor, thought; akin to OS. thank favor, pleasure, thanks, D. & G. dank thanks, Icel. Þ\'94kk, Dan. tak, Sw. tack, Goth. Þagks thanks; -]
- yore adv.
- In time long past; in old time; long since. [OE. , yare, , AS. geára;akin to geár a year, E. year. Year.]
- jesse n.
- Any representation or suggestion of the genealogy of Christ, in decorative art; as: (a) A genealogical tree represented in stained glass. [LL.Jesse, the father of David, fr. Gr. Yishai.]
- lowliness n.
- The state or quality of being lowly; humility; humbleness of mind. [From Lowly.]
- wayside n.
- The side of the way; the edge or border of a road or path.
- offence n.
- The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury. [F., fr. L. offensa. See Offend.]
- changeful a.
- Full of change; mutable; inconstant; fickle; uncertain.
- defence n.
- The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger. [F. défense, OF. defense, fem., defens, masc., fr. L. defensa (cf. Fence.]
- veiled a.
- Covered by, or as by, a veil; hidden.
- humiliate v. t.
- To reduce to a lower position in one's own eyes, or in the eyes of others; to humble; to mortify. [L. humiliatus, p.p. of humiliare. See Humble.]
- splendour n.
- Great brightness; brilliant luster; brilliancy; as, the splendor ot the sun. B. Jonson. [L. fr. splendere to shine: cf. F. splendeur.]
- sepulchre n.
- The place in which the dead body of a human being is interred, or a place set apart for that purpose; a grave; a tomb. [OE. sepulcre, OF. sepulcre, F. sépulcre, fr. L. sepulcrum, sepulchrum, fr. sepelire to bury.]
- pureness n.
- The state of being pure (in any sense of the adjective).
- magdalen n.
- A reformed prostitute. [From Mary Magdalene, traditionally reported to have been the repentant sinner forgiven by Christ. See Luke vii. 36.]
- didst
- , the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do.
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- inebriate v. i.
- To become drunk.
- exhilarate v. t.
- To make merry or jolly; to enliven; to animate; to gladden greatly; to cheer; as, good news exhilarates the mind; wine exhilarates a man. [L. exhilaratus, p.p. of exhilarare to gladden; ex out + hilarare to make merry, hilaris merry, cheerful. See Hilarious.]
- uncreate v. t.
- To deprive of existence; to annihilate. [1st pref. un- + create.]
- honour n.
- Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- streaming a.
- Sending forth streams.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Of the Incarnation of the Divine Word is in the public domain. This text is taken from Jacopone da Todi, Poet and Mystic, 1228-1306: A Spiritual Biography, with a Selection from the Spiritual Songs, Internet Archive, the Mrs. Theodore Beck translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Jacopone da Todi, Of the Incarnation of the Divine Word, in The Lauds (1919), text of Internet Archive, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/jacopone-lauds/of-the-incarnation-of-the-divine-word.html, id L27104.
Form and metre
Of the Incarnation of the Divine Word is 92 lines in 19 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 54% of the lines: heroic couplets. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 87%).
See other poems in heroic couplets, other poems in iambic pentameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AA floweredA · emboweredA
- 2 BBBBC lowB · mowB · woeB · growB · lordC
- 3 ----C purity · virginity · humanity · he · adoredC
- 4 DDD-E boreD · yoreD · doorD · o'er · flowerE
- 5 FFFFE nameF · cameF · aimF · flameF · showerE
- 6 -GGGH infinite · lightG · uniteG · delightG · rewardH
- 7 -IIIH lowliness · blessI · dressI · confessI · lordH
- 8 -JJJK reverence · offenceJ · henceJ · defenceJ · sightK
- 9 L-LLK seeL · charity · beL · fleeL · brightK
- 10 MMMMK gaveM · graveM · braveM · saveM · mightK
- 11 N-NNK humiliateN · desolate · hateN · stateN · nightK
- 12 OOOOP dayO · swayO · awayO · wayO · placeP
- 13 QQQQP restQ · breastQ · drestQ · blestQ · graceP
- 14 RR-RS shedR · deadR · comforted · fedR · consoledS
- 15 TTTTS tooT · drewT · trueT · knewT · beholdS
- 16 UU-U- gainU · stainU · again · fainU · fervently
- 17 VVVV- inebriateV · exhilarateV · uncreateV · straightV · be
- 18 W--W- skiesW · victories · harmonies · ariseW · sit
- 19 XXYY- ownX · shownX · downY · crownY · infinite
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| REJOICE, O Human Nature! Christ hath flowered | 11 | ˘/·/˘/˘··/˘ |
| From virgin flesh, in purity embowered. | 11 | ·/˘··/˘˘··· |
| O Human Nature, dark and poor and low, | 10 | ·/˘/˘····· |
| Like withered grass, a-droop for Death to mow, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Thy Bridegroom lifts thee up from sin and woe ; | 10 | ·/········ |
| Then bloom and grow, | 4 | ···· |
| And thank thy Love and Lord. | 6 | ······ |
| Thy Lord and Love, the Flower of Purity, | 11 | ·····/˘·/˘˘ |
| Born in the field of fair Virginity, | 10 | ······˘/˘˘ |
| He is the Lily of Humanity, | 10 | ···/˘·˘/˘˘ |
| All sweetness He, | 4 | ·/˘· |
| All fragrant and adored. | 6 | ·/˘·˘/ |
| Adored the fragrance that from Heaven He bore, | 11 | ˘/·/˘··/˘·· |
| Heaven, the fair garden where He bloomed of yore; | 11 | /˘··/˘····· |
| Yea, God the Father sent Him through this Door, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Wreathed o'er and o'er, | 4 | ···· |
| And twined with many a flower. | 8 | ···/˘·/˘ |
| A Flower of Nazareth was first His Name, | 11 | ·/˘·/˘˘···· |
| Who from the Rod of Jesse blooming came, | 10 | ·····/˘/˘· |
| Springing in time of flowers ; and all his aim | 11 | /˘···/˘···· |
| Love, like a flame, | 4 | ···· |
| Upon mankind to shower. | 7 | ··//·/˘ |
| To shower His Charity most infinite: | 11 | ·/˘·/˘˘·/˘˘ |
| This have I seen in Christ, that is my Light ; | 10 | ·········· |
| Mankind to God He draws, and doth unite, | 10 | //······/· |
| And all delight | 4 | ··˘/ |
| He gives, and all reward. | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Reward He doth receive with lowliness, | 10 | ˘/··˘/·/˘˘ |
| The people come with pomp, His name to bless, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| City and wayside wear a flowery dress, | 11 | /˘·/···/˘˘· |
| All, all confess | 4 | ··˘/ |
| And greet Him as their Lord. | 6 | ······ |
| Their Lord He is, they give Him reverence, | 10 | ·······/˘˘ |
| Yet when He is condemned, for none offence, | 10 | ····˘/··˘/ |
| The changeful populace would drive Him hence, | 10 | ·/˘/˘˘···· |
| With no defence, | 4 | ··˘/ |
| Such blindness holds their sight. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Their sight is veiled, the Truth they will not see ; | 10 | ·········· |
| The crimson rose of suffering Charity, | 11 | ·/˘··/˘˘/˘˘ |
| Empurpled by their cruel blows must be, | 9 | ····/˘··· |
| Its hues must flee, | 4 | ···· |
| And lose their colours bright. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Colours so bright and fair, that Nature gave, | 10 | /˘·····/˘· |
| Are now brought low, made livid as the grave, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| And yet that pain He bears, most sweet, most brave, | 10 | ·········· |
| Nor seeks to save | 4 | ···· |
| His valour and His might. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| His might and strength are all humiliate ; | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| That fragrant Flower is crushed and desolate ; | 11 | ·/˘/˘···/˘˘ |
| Encircled by the pungent thorns of hate, | 10 | ˘/˘··/˘··· |
| His splendour's state | 4 | ·/˘· |
| Is dimmed and veiled in night. | 6 | ······ |
| In night is drowned that Splendour of the Day, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| While suffering holds her melancholy sway ; | 11 | ·/˘˘··/˘·˘· |
| And in a sepulchre is hid away | 9 | ·······˘/ |
| The Light, the Way, | 4 | ···· |
| Hid in a flowery place. | 7 | ···/˘˘· |
| A place wherein that Flower may sleep and rest, | 11 | ·····/˘···· |
| And rise again, re-born from Darkness' breast, | 10 | ··˘/···/˘· |
| In bodily form and bodily pureness drest, | 12 | ·/˘˘··/˘˘/˘· |
| The Visible Blest, | 5 | ·/˘˘· |
| In radiance and in grace. | 7 | ·/˘˘··· |
| Grace, radiance, in that garden did He shed, | 11 | ·/˘˘··/˘··· |
| Upon the Magdalen, who mourned Him dead; | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| And in her sorrow she was comforted, | 10 | ···/˘··/˘˘ |
| Her love was fed, | 4 | ···· |
| Her tender heart consoled. | 6 | ·/˘·˘/ |
| Consoled the hearts of His disciples too, | 10 | ˘/····˘/˘· |
| And from their grief fresh flowers of love He drew; | 11 | ·····/˘···· |
| There in the Garden, with His servants true, | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| His sheep He knew; | 4 | ···· |
| They sing as they behold! | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Behold, e'en doubting Thomas didst Thou gain, | 10 | ˘/·/˘/˘··· |
| Showing Thy wounds, sweet flowers without a stain, | 11 | /˘···/˘···· |
| He gazed, O blushing Rose, and gazed again; | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| And he was fain | 4 | ···· |
| To cry out fervently. | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Fervently loving, all inebriate, | 10 | /˘˘/˘·˘/˘· |
| His heart was joyous and exhilarate, | 10 | ···/˘·˘/˘· |
| And gazing on Thy Glory Uncreate, | 9 | ·/˘··/˘·· |
| He knew Thee straight, | 4 | ···· |
| His God, His Lord to be. | 6 | ······ |
| To be the King of Glory in the skies, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Back to Thy Father, crowned with victories, | 10 | ···/˘··/˘˘ |
| Hailed by the sound of angels' harmonies, | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| Thou didst arise | 4 | ··˘/ |
| In Honour's Seat to sit. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| To sit, and share Thine honour with Thine own, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Who follow in the Way that Thou hast shown; | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| To send Thy Fiery Spirit streaming down, | 11 | ···/˘˘/˘/˘· |
| Their hearts to crown | 4 | ···· |
| With ardours infinite. | 6 | ·/˘/˘˘ |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.