Shout Joy!

Shout Joy
By Madeline L’Engle

O sing unto God
and sing praises unto his Name
magnify him that rideth upon the heavens
praise him in his Name
Jah!

shout it
cry it aloud upon the wind
take the tail of his steed
and fling across the sky
in his wild wake
Jah!
he cannot be caught
he cannot be fled
he cannot be known
nor his knowledge escaped
the light of his Name
blinds the brilliance of stars
Jah!
catch the falling dragon
ride between his flailing wings
leap between the jaws of the lion
grasp the horn of the unicorn
calling with mighty voice
Jah!
caught in star flame
whipped by comet lash
rejoice before him
cry above the voices of the cherubim
shout alongside the seraphim
Jah!
bellow joy behind kings
scattered by the quaking of his hills
fleeing before his fire
rush like snow through his thunderous flame
crying with gladness
adoration of his Name
God is Lord
Jah!

This poem also formed the lyrics of a song which my college women's choir debuted along with West Point's cadet choir in my freshman year of college. It was an amazing performance (one that I still have entrapped on an audio cassette) and one of those sparkling, exhultant moments of life that you want to preserve for always. Madeline L'Engle was scheduled to have been there to see her song performed but alas, was kept home by an illness. This is one of the poems that makes my soul fly!