Our faithful commenter Thomas posted this lovely poem over at SSPX Jammers and requested that I post it over here to get some feedback from the other TradCats. He wrote it after the recent requiem Mass said for an old parishioner, Mrs. Mary Jane Smith. Let us all pray for the repose of her soul:
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.

The word-painting gives a truly magnificent picture of the solemn beauty of a Requiem Mass, with the music sung by a schola cantorum of one member.

by Tom

To see
velvet garments in mournful black,
gently swaying back and forth;
like the swinging of the pendulum, that keeps time on us all,
draped over old Father Time himself.
With every solemn genuflection
of his shaking frame,
there was a sort of tired plea
for mercy on the departed soul.

While gently and steadily, like the moon-hung tide,
did Sam's voice ebb and flow
with the solemn tones of the mass.

Solemn and quiet sat the black draped coffin,
silently listening to the mournful prayers
made by the priest's shaking voice;
and then to the steady reply,
in its gently chanted, solemn tones.

So silently stood I,
as the mournful asperges
wept its blessed tears over the quiet coffin.
While the thurifer silently breathed over it
his incensed breath, to give escort
to the soul, as she slowly walked down the aisle,
to be united, for all eternity,
with her heavenly Bridegroom.

Then solemnly did the coffin follow Christ
to its resting place;
till He comes again.
Accompanying this was Sam's steady voice
that seemed to follow
the coffin as it left the Church.

Then all was silent;
except the Altar boy's small button,
brushing against the pole of Christ's cross;
Which did sound as an iron bell's pean,
mournfully ringing in the distance.