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Jubilate Agno

Posted December 21, 2007

My favorite poem was written by a crazy English poet in the 1700s: Christopher Smart. The name of the poem is Jubilate Agno. Smart starts the poem with a prologue-like section enumerating countless obscure classical and Biblical references, and then the meat of the poem begins with this line: For I will consider my cat, Geoffrey. And Smart does. For stanza upon stanza, Smart parses the Almighty through the actions of his cat. For some reason I always come back to this poem at Christmas.

It may be fair to say that I like the idea of this poem more than its substance, but it has moments of real beauty. One is particularly appropriate in this time of war:

Let Jael rejoice with the Plover, who whistles for his live, and foils the marksmen and their guns. For I bless the Prince of Peace and pray that the guns may be nailed up, save such as are for the rejoicing days.

The insane English poet knew what we forget: Christ broke into the world in the body of a carpenter's son, and he whose power is without limits instead chose forgiveness, grace, and peace. I pray these things for you this Christmas season.

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