Easter Day by John Masefield - Part 4

I'm having a break from my blog for the Easter holidays, and so here is something I prepared earlier. It is the final of four parts of a transcript of an Easter play by John Masefield (best known for "The Box of Delights"), published in 1929.  Like his Christmas play, this is quite non-traditional and imaginative.

Parts 1-3 here:
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2018/04/easter-day-by-john-masefield-part-1.html
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2018/04/easter-day-by-john-masefield-part-2.html
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2018/04/easter-day-by-john-masefield-part-3.html





Easter Day by John Masefield - Part 4

(MARY MAGDAGLEN enters)

MARY MAGDALEN

I, who am Mary Magdalen, am here

To deck my dead Lord's body for his rest,

To take farewell of Him who was most dear

And give the sepulchre her sacred guest.

One week ago I saw Him crowned with flowers,

Hailed as a King, in triumph ; and to-day

Death has abashed that glory that was ours,

The ruined house lies broken, to decay.

How shall I roll away the heavy stone

That blocks the entry to the chamber ?  Look I

It has been tugged aside and overthrown,

Ev'n as the Temple that the earthquake shook.

I thank Thee, God, that I may see the dead .. .

O God, my strength, what miracle is here ?

Someone is sitting by my Master's head,

Someone most bright, I cannot go for fear.

Can it be He ?  But no, I saw Him killed,

I saw Him broken, taken from the tree .. .

It is an Angel, lightning-faced and filled

With fiery purpose that God brings to be.

(Tbe YOUNG MAN appears)

THE YOUNG MAN

Be not affrighted.

Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified.

He is not here, He is risen, as He said ;

Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

But go your way, tell His disciples (and Peter)

That He is risen from the dead

And goeth before you into Galilee ;

There ye shall see Him, as He said unto you.

Lo, I have told you.

MARY MAGDALEN

They have removed his body out of dread

Lest we should steal him hence.  Beloved Lord,

Reft from me, living, taken from me dead,

O for one glimpse of You, one little word l

THE YOUNG MAN

Woman, why weepest thou ?

MARY MAGDALEN

Because they have taken away my Lord

And I know not where they have laid Him.

(She turns to go)

ANIMA CHRISTI

Woman, why weepest thou ?  Whom seekest thou ?

MARY MAGDALEN

Sir, if you be the keeper of this garden,

And you have borne Him hence,

Tell me where you have laid Him

And I will take Him away.

ANIMA  CHRISTI

Mary !

MARY MAGDALEN

Dear Master !

ANIMA CHRISTI

Touch me not ;

For I am not yet ascended to my Father :

But go to my brethren, and say unto them

I ascend unto my Father, and your Father,

And to my God, and your God.

MARY MAGDALEN

I have beheld my Master face to face

And heard His voice and looked into His eyes,

He whom myself saw buried in this place.

He said that on the third day He would rise.

Now has His quickened spirit that was set

Upon eternal life, pierced through the veil,

His loveliness is living with us yet,

Imagination and the Will avail.

And with Him, lo, the shining strengths that dwell

Within His Father's Kingdom, gleam on gleam,

Come to defend Man's spirit against hell

And make God's Kingdom here, and not a dream.

And lo, the morning and the April flowers,

The light of heaven and the birds of Spring,

And Paradise above with all her towers,

Sweet with the chimes of all the bells that ring.

THE ANGELS

Within the wastes of space,

Beyond all track or trace,

Where no Sun shows his face

On suns grown sightless,

At last a comet shrieks

Its zest for what it seeks

And on the frozen peaks

There comes a brightness.

After the winter days,

With mud upon the ways,

And no leaves on the sprays

And no birds singing,

There comes the lambling's bleat,

There comes the greenling wheat,

The cuckoo tolling sweet

And swallows winging.

After the midnight dark,

Unlit by star or spark,

All blackness, without mark

Or beacon gleaming,

Suddenly Night has ceast

And, like a bright-robed priest,

Alive out of the East

The Dawn comes streaming.

Sing, men and angels, sing,

For God our Life and King

Has given us Light and Spring

And morning breaking.

Now may Man's Soul arise

As kinsman to the skies,

And God unseals his eyes

To an awaking.

Sing, creatures, sing ; the dust

That lives by lure and lust,

Is kindled by the thrust

Of life undying ;

This Hope our Master bare

Has made all fortunes fair

And Man can on and dare,

His death defying.

MARY MAGDALEN

After the winter snows

A wind of healing blows

And thorns put forth a rose

And lilies cheer us ;

Life's everlasting Spring

Hath robbed Death of his sting,

Henceforth a cry can bring

Our Master near us