Feast of Thomas a Beckett
the fifth day of Christmas
Today is the feast of Thomas a Beckett, the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered and martyred during the reign of Henry II. T.S. Elliot wrote a verse drama, Murder in the Cathedral, based on the events leading up to and including the assassination of Thomas on December 29, 1170 by four of Henry’s knights. There are two films based on the play, the 1951 film’s screenplay was written by Elliot and he plays the Voice of Fourth Tempter.
On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me, five golden rings…representing the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch.
and a poem of mine…
Cold December Consecration
On a cold morning in December, wake early, sit.
Drink hot tea in the weak, welcome light
of winter’s sun. Wrap yourself in a blanket, keep
you socks on, for the house is not yet warm
and the boiler will hammer every room awake.
Ignore the taunts of the clock as it goads you
into wasting time on roads where strangers
seem intent on vehicular homicide or, at least,
the dangerous exchange of moving violations
and profanations and middle fingers. Stay.
Linger. Look out a bare window and see
the rising sun splash strange, sanctified light
on the ancient and knowing oak trees. Listen
as wind swells through the fractaled branches.
Now, before the boiler hammers and the day careens
into night, take these given and undefiled gifts -
sun, wind, tree branches veined against blue sky -
and open you mouth into the needful aah of thanks.