This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by Jack DesBois.
The Star’s Song to the Magi
[excerpted from The Western Star]
My child is born in the land of the Jews,
In the land of the Jews to the West.
My life for all lives reunites and renews,
Reunites and renews and is blest,
Reunites and renews and is blest.
My child is a-waiting for you and for yours,
For you and for yours in the West.
A king for all kings and a teacher for all,
And a teacher for all those who teach;
A giver of gifts, ever gentle, so small,
Ever gentle, so small, gives to each,
Ever gentle, so small, gives to each.
My child is a-waiting for you and for yours,
For you and for yours for to teach.
Rejoice in this child, whom I send for to give,
Whom I send for to give and receive:
To give all he loves and receive all you live,
And receive all you live and you leave,
And receive all you live and you leave.
My child is a-waiting for you and for yours,
For you and for yours to receive.
Rejoice in this child, in the promise he brings,
In the promise he brings in his love!
The sweet breezes laugh and the mourning dove sings,
And the mourning dove sings from above,
And the mourning dove sings from above.
My child is a-waiting for you and for yours,
For you and for yours for to love.
[This poem is one of the songs in Mr. DesBois’s epic poem, The Western Star. You can hear him perform it here.]
Jack DesBois is a Christian singer, actor, writer, and storyteller based in Topsfield, Massachusetts. He is the author of The Western Star, an epic poem, with songs, celebrating the season of Epiphany and the return of the light. He has self-published a chapbook of short poems and has been published by The Society of Classical Poets. Jack is a classically trained singer and folk guitarist; he is currently working on an album of health freedom protest songs titled Waking Up. Professional singing credits include Handel’s Esther (Haman) and Messiah (bass soloist) and J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion (Jesus) as well as opera and musical theatre.
Jack is the director of educational enrichment programming at his family’s academic service, DesBois Tutoring & Enrichment. Among the performance programs he offers are V is the Valley, a concert-conversation featuring traditional New England folk songs from the Helen Hartness Flanders Ballad Collection, and Shakespeare’s Songs, a concert-lecture featuring the music of The Bard’s plays. He has taught musical theater, straight theater, and Shakespeare to students ages 8-21. Jack received his BA in Music from Middlebury College and studied for a year in Mary Baldwin University’s MLitt Shakespeare and Performance program. www.jackdesbois.com
