O Sapientia

by Malcolm Guite

___________

I cannot think unless I have been thought,
Nor can I speak unless I have been spoken.
I cannot teach except as I am taught,
Or break the bread except as I am broken.
O Mind behind the mind through which I seek,
O Light within the light by which I see,
O Word beneath the words with which I speak,
O founding, unfound Wisdom, finding me,
O sounding Song whose depth is sounding me,
O Memory of time, reminding me,
My Ground of Being, always grounding me,
My Maker’s Bounding Line, defining me,
Come, hidden Wisdom, come with all you bring,
Come to me now, disguised as everything.

Malcolm Guite is a gifted poet, thinker, and priest, who has
written sonnets on each of the 7 “O Antiphons” for Advent.
(All can be found at this link or at Guite’s web site.)

The first antiphon for Dec. 17 is “O Sapientia,” “Oh Wisdom,”
(O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.)

Guite’s metaphysical sonnet in grounded in much wisdom.