Silver
Straw
Where Africa, Asia
And Europe do meet,
In the middle of the earth
David’s line complete…
After Abraham and Sarah
In the middle of time,
Up until now
The Savior sublime…
Born in a stable
In the middle of the night,
In the middle of His creatures
Under middle-star bright…
Blessed Mother, foster-father
‘Tween them both did sleep,
In the middle of a manger
In the middle of the sheep…
So in Church’s stable sacrament
Holy Mother’s confessioned-creche,
Your sins are swept with silver straw
So to shine from the middle of your flesh.
Hilary Flanery
Hilary McRee Flanery studied Theatre Arts in college at Webster University in St. Louis Missouri, USA. She has been in numerous theatre productions over the last 20 years but her real claims to fame have been "Opening Nights" in leading roles on delivery tables throughout the US Midwest where she has performed and produced ten children.
"Raising a large family and writing means that I set up strict priorities. I start each day with a prayer that has been in my family since God was a boy - 'Come Holy Ghost...give me the faith of your Saints, the courage of your martyrs, and the money and success of your athiests.'"
Hilary and her husband, Randy, have been hapily married for 30 years and are certifiably insane. They know this to be a fact since Randy is a Clinical Psychologist.
The Flanerys reside in St. Louis, Missouri with their 10 children, termites and a large bottle of wine. She blogs at www.hilaryflanery.blogspot.com.
