S2 E17: Annunciation By Helen Hoyt
From “Poems of Life and Death”

LIFE,
The great Life,
Came unto me:
He of old ages,
The eternal, 
The owner of all,
Came, and his word was for me,
Calling my name:
And the radiance of his presence shone about me.

With leaping heart I heard his voice 
And the entering of his steps over my threshold:
Heard, and was not troubled;
Because it was known to me a long time
What answer I should make to Life.

With outstretched, quiet hands, 
With unreluctant face,
I stood before him,
And let my eyes look into the eyes of Life:
And I gave, and delivered up to Life,
Myself: 
Utterly.
Yielding me
As one yields and delivers to another
A dumb vessel.

Mighty and splendid is the presence of Life. 
By a far road he comes
And travels a great way before
And sways the world.
I trembled to be near his glory,
But with unbowing head I stood before him,  (See Note Below)
With unbowing head and proud heart;
Knowing my service that I should perform to the honoring of Life.
And in his dignity I was exalted.

Now for a term I am not my own,
But Life is my master: 
And I dwell under his commandment,
Beneath the fostering of his wings.
Wrapped in the mantle of Life,
Patient, by ways apart, I go;
Bearing in my flesh his sign 
That I am one of his chosen:
The instrument of his purpose; the way of his will.

Slowly day follows day,
Laying its hands upon me with invisible touch,
Molding my flesh; 
And I tarry waiting upon Life
Until the use he purposes for me shall be accomplished,
And his intent be fulfilled:
Until the wonder is wrought upon me that now possesses my days.

Recitation by Sarah Ahmadi & Rebecca Budd
Photography by Rebecca Budd
#RebeccasReadingRoom

Music by Storm “Vintergartan” #EpidemicSound
https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/pomymHDcWb/

Note: One sentence was omitted from the recitation: "But with unbowing head I stood before him.