Poetry

Dionysius the Areopagite (post 1)

St Dionysius

THE MYSTICAL THEOLOGY

CHAPTER I

What is the Divine Darkness?

Supernal Triad, Deity above all essence, knowledge and goodness; Guide of Christians to Divine Wisdom; direct our path to the ultimate summit of your mystical knowledge, most incomprehensible, most luminous and most exalted, where the pure, absolute and immutable mysteries of theology are veiled in the dazzling obscurity of the secret Silence, outshining all brilliance with the intensity of their Darkness, and surcharging our blinded intellects with the utterly impalpable and invisible fairness of glories surpassing all beauty.

Let this be my prayer; but do, dear Timothy, in the diligent exercise of mystical contemplation, leave behind the senses and the operations of the intellect, and all things sensible and intellectual, and all things in the world of being and nonbeing, that you may arise by unknowing towards the union, as far as is attainable, with it that transcends all being and all knowledge.(1) For by the unceasing and absolute renunciation of yourself and of all things you may be borne on high, through pure and entire self-abnegation, into the superessential Radiance of the Divine Darkness

Post 1.  I will post throughout the upcoming weeks the entirety of the work.

New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia on Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite:

The works of Dionysius, thus introduced into Western literature, were readily accepted by the medieval Scholastics. The great masters of Saint-Victor at Paris, foremost among them the much admired Hugh, based their teaching on the doctrine of Dionysius. Peter Lombard and the great Dominican and Franciscan scholars, Alexander of Hales, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, adopted his theses and arguments. Master poets, e.g. Dante, and historians, e.g. Otto of Freising, built on his foundations. Scholars as renowned as Robert Grosseteste of Lincoln and Vincent of Beauvais drew upon him freely. Popular religious books, such as the “Legenda aurea” of Giacomo da Voragine and the “Life of Mary” by Brother Philip, gave him a cordial welcome. The great mystics, Eckhardt, Tauler, Suso, and others, entered the mysterious obscurity of Dionysius with holy reverence. In rapid succession there appeared a number of translations: Latin translations by Joannes Sarrazenus (1170), Robert Grosseteste (about 1220), Thomas Vercellensis (1400), Ambrosius Camaldulensis (1436), Marsilius Ficinus (1492); in the sixteenth century those of Faber Stapulensis, Perionius, etc. Among the commentaries that of Hugh of Saint-Victor is notable for its warmth, that of Albertus Magnus for its extent, that of St. Thomas for its accuracy, that of Denys the Carthusian for its pious spirit and its masterly inclusion of all previous commentaries.

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The Ugly Essential

Lay me bare, inflict the wound of preciseness,
Lord, You know me too well, understanding my pride,
Need. Cleverness too easy to appease,
Effortlessly extolling the spiritual, relishing the intellect denouncing,
The intellect. Know not the softer easier way.
The spiritual life too easy, escapism, problematic avoiding,
Lord what do You see?
Allow me not to become insane in Your eyes,
My glaring weaknesses, what is it that stops unification,
What is it that will not cease that You despise,
What stops me from loving you as deeply as You deserve?
There is something.
Many things there are.
Give me the strength Lord to focus,
Not to wallow in the glory, rather to reveal the ugly,
Now standing upon dirt, apply the fire,
Purge ugliness and unrepentant sin,
Purgatory here upon the earth!
Courage
Fortitude
Insight
Remain steadfast
Help me Lord to:
Purify the putrid, open festering wounds.
Cut loose that which weakens, scattering virtue to the wind,
Mortify appetite, reject the pronunciation of pretty words,
Alienate articulation, inflict fear upon the tongue,
Cut away the smallest traces, abandon idealism,
Stupefy the mind so I can concentrate.
The tiniest infraction magnify.
While time still exist, make the most of confessing.
The sacraments healing, the Church abiding,
Cast away reputation, interject humiliation,
Allow the eternal to dictate every ebb and flow.
Never let me forget the never ending.
In You Lord, I adore keenly criticizing myself.

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Mystify Old Testament Women

Eve
Exordium de profundis dolorous rifacimento
In the beginning, out of the depths of sorrow, wailing and weeping, gnashing of teeth, came a calling mother to all,
Original sin,
The broken-hearted birth of the blood stained renewal of life giving grace to the following horde of generational de-sanctification.
Another blushing, bleeding out onto the earth, ashes to ashes, dirt to dirt, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, distinguishing a creative likened celestial confinement,
Cursing and copying beneath the breath starting time, days denying, unwinding, dwindling, marking the hierarchy of accumulated crimes,
Preceding the savage stained children she silently loves, bleeding on into compassion abhorred, she never conceived will-powers crushing, smashing proper supremacy,
While bridging waters and piercing a thirsting aftermath of shame, still beneath the heart of a mother beat beyond all relief, loving the birth, while hating the growth,
Human predating the idea of fate, her tears the first tears of a woman to fall, her fears the first fears of a continuing race, her love the state of devastating grace.
Intent upon vibrating within the blame game, she rose to standing, demanding the fault of one who ultimately hoisted the fallen shame.
The adversary, stung by a poisonous tongue the lies of a viper remain,
Flooding, careening, descending mountain streams with tears, for her children she wept, crushing intensely imminent little ones pummeled through terror.
Accepting a heart overflowing accursed accountable droplets appear, falling to nothing a fate so deserved, yet evil immensely asserting damning worse for the horror.
Hopelessly a mother lingers and fingers the enrapturing hands of time, sitting awaiting the predestined mystery divine, innocently deducing the critical crime.
Patiently entrapped amongst a revelation vicious and violent in nature, the quest, the witnessing of the sublime, she waits not for those unadorned in blessed adoration.
She never made claims unfounded by the need for validation, left clothed and cast out, exiting the garden without innocence, knowing too much, goes to show how wrong you can be.

Hagar
An angry pragmatic observing handmaid never asking to be touched by a dove,
Fruitfully naming, The God Who Sees, exceeding the shouting of the unnamed.
Ancient Egyptian colossal wilderness wrath, Osiris, cast thirsting into the nameless avalanche,
An archer’s expanse, a rebellious madman’s advance, the battling breath of a decadent beast.
Balaam blind guiding a transcendent donkey, how can the unchosen love define a wild hand stung by the viper’s fang?
Ishmael comprehends it is all about war in these midlands, foes to hate, divisions to create, inner turmoil transferred and ready to boil.
Unredeemed putrefied carnal swarms surrounding a poisonous name calling forth from the exiled city of desolate remains.
Bend the bow, sharpen the arrow, cut the teeth, let loose the sword, progress the forward, tomorrow the death, all an enemy entwined in the fall.
Today, it all awaits the crescent moon defining, conquering a newfangled nation babbling a vague multitude of names.
Allah has many and the many have Allah.

Rachel
Scenting crimson rose, angels gathering sweetness, enchanting the loving mystical mother,
Senselessly sounding hidden silence amongst the silent, patiently enduring unseen working, waiting upon a love at first sight.
Mystical flowering.
A son is a thing given from above, two, Joseph and Benjamin, even more quiet and righteously tame than a lamb to the slaughter.
The innocent unknowing exist without blame—silence, family, the dignity of labor, the shame of discerning the aim of the envious self-centered game.
Mystical flowering.
A lotus blooms, atop the muck and the mire.
A multi-colored contemplative dream raises an ecclesiastical lost brother amongst a wayward eleven, escaping the pit of despair, until ensnared by a desiring wife.
A covenant ruler of a foreign land descends from the descendants of the alpha, omega, interpreting Pharaoh’s sleeping visions, parading cows, obese and thin, numbering seven.
Mystical flowering.
The latter death inflicting infant kisses not to the one giving birth, stinging the bestowed and traversing the blest, dead and dying a mother is bled.
The child cries out, frantically catching a breath, stumbling not over the manifest willing monumental intent, a baby born barren, a brother and father perplexed.
Matriarchal predestined immaculate birth, Bethlehem houses the transcendental resplendent grave of the curse,
Sarcophagus, future locale of the divine virgin birth.
True love a husband, a contemplative elegance, a mystical flowering, the magnificent massaging of interior beads upon heavenly breasts, solemnly praying into self-neglect. One a Clare brings light, rejecting the hand of the rich.
A heart blossoms from the purified breathless request, providence providing the immense, cloistered repentant imitating sisters following, chanting intent.

Miriam
Following the buoyant brother basket carrying a patriarch’s demand, hiding amongst bulrushes she inclines a helping hand.
Seeing stubbornly to the living on into the dominion of self-regret, she conflictingly needs to contest, Egyptian exiting, traversing through arid harsh lands.
Timbrel in hand, piercingly singing, dancing merrily, endless enslavement inquiries proclaiming the wonders of ceasing enslavement’s demand.
“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Wandering older sister to a prophet, wondering elder sister to a priest, servitude a calling she possesses confidence, never dreading the work to be done.
Fearless in commanding, blindly assuming, love loss unfailing, ending white, leprous like the snow, she falters atoned.
Gossiping, talking the tongue into deceit, faintness a failing uttered words repeat the condoning of the younger one she loves to compete.
Transferring, encamping, ultimately following the lead, the Arc of the Covenant, brazenly blazes through the hinterland, she assumes command. The Mercy Seats hides, hinting toward a living tabernacle of immaculate birth.
All said and done, all desert and sand, extreme forty years squandering idols and realities, the chosen become bent in the woeful wandering.
In repose water flowing, abundant the stream, Meribah for the striking, a passionate brotherly obscenity to the extreme,
Holy land unseen, a messiah unspoken, a time not predestined, mortal woman and man determine unbinding demand,
The Mighty One, a God of order, inclines a helping hand to those of wicked intent, detailing precisely, guiding profusely constructing divine.

Ruth
Loyal one, descendant of a lineage divine, the whole human race, loyal beyond individual suffering not the command of independence.
Freedom, enslavement, discerning a choice, placing others before the blazing fire from the depths of Chemise’s infernal spewing belly.
Burn not to be the calling consumed with the lives of others, to help and assist, to show charity amongst sister and brother of different mothers.
Pagans dementing demanding defense of their portraying the insolence of cultivating crops supplanting the famine’s diaspora.
Marooned in Moab’s misfortune, destined and foreign, unwanted and wanting, the anguish of loss, return home to Bethlehem calling.
The need to dispense the wives of dead brothers, returning a mother perceives a holy land enduring fear losing face amongst others.
Extraordinary one, she stays standing by that which adores, holding the hand of love for the lover of a youthful heart that strays not for the strongest to come,
Unfaltering dedication, King David’s grandmother a family within, the finest in Hebrew chanting: anawim, peace to brother and sister abroad amidst distant lands.
Wise the poor spirited child ascends through the test of testaments, wealth attaining children follow, the growing multitude gathering fruit from the harvest.
Cavalcades, forthcoming parades, advancing time changing characters provide the splendid salvation of prospective generations.
Hear curious impish innocent heart pulsating life, a new man comes a caring, a mother-in-law despairing for grandchildren to love, sons and daughters abiding.
Babies crying, children screaming, adolescents laughing, elderly adoring, the responsible hosting, the wine flows amidst a colorful splendid wedding feast.
She weeps for the joy of being alive.

Hanna
Shame, humiliation, merciless taunting, infertile and barren the womb of one loving sons and daughters of the teasing intoning.
Falsely accused, drunkenness not a crime, touched by pain she explains to the priest the need for ceaseless merriment, it is not wine.
Prefiguring in praise, and the Lord remembered, sing sweet loyalist to the charitable mother of the prophet Samuel,
Calling once, calling twice, calling three times, a conception portending, a trinity amending, a child beyond all hope, graciously offered above all.
‘Do not multiply to speak lofty things, boasting: let old matters depart from your mouth…’
Sacrificing the ultimate promise of praise, wisdom to kings, the unrelenting gift of a holy prophet not to be raised a fruitless son,
Anonymous offering one, needing not void in the womb, witnesses a family aplenty the perfect nurturing blessing of five for the feeding.
Order and structure, building and blocking, creation a mother, the wisdom of caring, subjectively centered discretely beyond singularity.
Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart, the benevolent love of one giving from all that one has, devout cherished forgoing, forgiving.

Bathsheba
Daughter of wealth, spoiled and rotting, surmounting a multiplying desiring of flesh imbibing the being of power consuming,
She wants everything, needs all things, all things possessed she wants no more, naked dispossessing forever all things to abhor.
Penetrating with pleasure, a means to vast hunger, satiating the lustful ignorance of a wise psalmist, conqueror of giants.
Subservience of others ordered through the sultry passion of poison words destroying the unambitious uncultured mother of Uriah,
No quarter for unknowing, evil hands idly observing, wandering the remaining stumble upon the sophisticated roof of an imperial palace,
Prey to wicked arrows; self-denying active duty, loyally steadfast, proud never grasping the first husband learns not Solomon’s wisdom.
Dying deprived of repentance beyond birth, a profane father afflicting faults of an original firstborn, a diversion of sensual conception.
Awaiting a virtuous fantasy of fame, a king discerning wisdom entertains competitions amassing the witnessing, a mother no shame.
Rising exceeding, a son to be king, emerging incestuous and vain, the threatening mother enviously envisions corrupting power to gain.

Jezebel
Inspecting, admiringly dissecting, applying cosmetics,
Polished bronze mirror in talons a holding,
Exquisite, a smile, splendid will-power a face.
Masquerading mascara, madness ensconced and embraced.
Luminous lipstick lustfully loving luxury,
Kissing, caressing, controlling, primary colors debased,
Cutting and tearing, a disgraceful display of wounded incisors,
Sensually highlighting tresses arrayed.
Auburn silken hair dripping from the skull, a blushing bountiful bloody enhancing augmentation
Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity
Scared scarred servants hushing, hiding all over the space.
Rushing to forsake a harried Homeric chariot race. Fear redounding, cursing refraction no prizes to place.
The viper strikes, quickly dispensing. Concentrating sanguine, beauty sublime,
Life blossoming, blooming, preconceived divine.
Cleverness, brashness, worshipping queen and prophetess,
Power extreme, the dreaded Elijah prefigures a baptizing faith.
Fortunate water to feast upon bones in an ancient bonfire of grace,
Transfiguration, to drink blood, to quarter a body. To the wind throwing pieces, Elijah anointing, transfiguring the depraved
A fiery chariot assumption, fierce and strong, charging white horses whispering winged words,
Wielding grandeur beyond a killer of false prophets. Havoc and death, all things entrapped within a furious end,
Gowns and firm breasts, Jezebel remains steadfast,
Stampeding steeds singing praises, A mesmerizing mission of Jehu’s calming,
An arrow piercing between the shoulders sinking,
Into the heart is not peace to the wicked justice imparts.
“How can peace reign as long as the whoredom of Jezebel abounds?”
Eternity calls not with escaping sound,
Parallel vision echoing synchronicity,
Aloof, alone, a eunuch knows not how to love,
Opposing opposition, the castrated throws the apparition to flight no avail.
The justified one screams, ‘bury not the condemned daughter of a king’.
Dogs devouring flesh imparts the final scene

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Succinct

Expressing gratitude
Absent words
Through
With
In
My Lord
Adoring
A gaze

Adoration II

Inspired by Contemplative in the Mud. An authentic approach shared by an admirable individual.

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Bovarism

Who am I Lord?
Who are You Lord?
Reveal, provide understanding
Grace wisdom and knowledge
Unknowing, allow mysteries to remain
Perception to pertain to progress
Towards truth aim
Cleverness be shamed
Useless self-glorifying distractions disdained
Aloof to complexity, remain still
Unafraid of a lack of recognition,
Humble away anxiety, worldly concerns begone
Within simplicity, repose on into contemplation

Who am I Lord?
I get so confused
I am dull witted when others are brilliant
So many astound,
Effortlessly articulating, they amaze
I am lost to words, unable to speak
Baffled while others are cunning
Easily amused, dejected, always anticipating
I am lost
Pleased with ignorance before Almighty Majesty
I am an imbecile

More Lord, who am I in your eyes?
Why tendencies that bemuse?
Inherent intent of liabilities confuse
Shortcomings, atop blessings, reap waywardness
Distance becomes natural to one who knows not proper order
Hierarchy manifesting supernaturalism
To know myself is a flame
Purgatory entrancement, pain and Presence
Why the difficulty staying focused?
Consternation, distraction, wandering.
Force me to face delusion,
Errant internal transmissions screaming for allocation
Placement forced through sheer will
Self-will run riot
Pride, brokenness rearing a multitude of many ugly heads
Reenergize adoration for alone time with nobody
A Presence exposed
Distance, space, empty into a void
Make not the ways of pleasure profitable
Allow not the filling of all that fills not
Grace with rewards leading to greater understanding
Stealthily advancing into esoteric matters
Who are You Lord?
Who am I Lord?
Building upon Catholic dogma,
Sacraments, the Eucharist, and Mary
Prescribed practices,
Essential attendance,
Caring not for recognition or rewards,
Teaching not, while willing to be taught
Settle into simple inquiry
Through faith
Through hope
Through charity
Who am I?
Who are You God?

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Chastity–a poem

Celebrating sanctifying grace,
Never forsaken, freely given,
Never communicating lies to another,
Ceasing errant transmissions.
Grasping delusion through imposition.
Senselessness.
Experience cherished.
A catalyst ignites even further.
Sorrow burrows hard and heavy.
Here she comes, it’s dying time.
Take it in deeper.
Take it tough.
On in to…
On in to…
On in to…
Blossoming love.
Austere negating
Apophatic theology.
There is no God…
Starting over
Anew
Redefining
Darkness of the soul whitening the inside,
Brightening the beautiful blinding blackness,
Time, accumulating, mounting for twenty plus.
Calling even further into celibacy.
Swept away my Beloved comes.
Waiting eternal He presents a void.
My Beloved screams.
Voicelessly.
Passing through the Word incarnate,
A crucifixion,
A resurrection,
An ascension.
Fulfilling fruitfully with delightful insanity.
Mysterious one discarding identity.
Nameless.
Left profoundly alone,
The purity of chastity transforms.
Untouched, overflowing.

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Beloved

Absence

Lord, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Beloved longing in emptiness
Lacking
Substance
Futile
Nonbeing within being
Power immense
Deprived of presence
Nothing else fills
Beloved come to me
Dreaming dreams
Praying prayers
A path
Aware
Heart beating
A void
Reduced to a nonentity
The aftermath
A life
Love so strong
Permeating
Silence
Listen loud
Repudiation
Knowing my Beloved through negation
What is not flows in overabundant absence
So strong the heart bursts forward in adoration
Simple silent attention
Proudness erupts
Sin waits not so patiently
Success brings about temptation
Everything tried calcifies
My Beloved’s withdrawal sustains the rigidness
The dark night a solution to my solutions
Contemplation
Calling
Loving
Urging
Comprehending no longer caring
Separate from the world
The killing time long since deceased
Reminiscing amongst the loss of memories
A process
A time
Growing old and sublime
Eventually the fading once detaching from is long since entrenched
It’s been years since I died
Beloved there has been only you for a breadth of time
Continuous prayer throughout another night
Beloved rape my heart with your loneliness
Expose your depths
Proud inner poverty of spirit
Teach me that which I so quickly forego and forget
Anonymous
Indebt
Beloved who are You?
Yet to wait
Teach me not to regret
Teach me not to dream
Kiss me upon the neck
Caress on in to
Smother me with Your love
My Beloved

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