Pearl Read Online Free Page A
Book: Pearl Read Online Free
Author: Simon Armitage
bliss,’ I said, ‘can your tale be true?
Don’t take offence if I speak out of turn
by questioning if you are heaven’s queen,
worshipped by everyone the world over.
We believe in Mary, mother of all grace,
who bore a child while pure and chaste.
No one could vie for the Virgin’s crown
unless they surpassed her in some noble aspect.
Rare and unrivalled, unique in her sweetness,
she has come to be called the Phoenix of Arabia,
a peerless creature that flew from her Creator,
as did the queen of courtesy.’
Â
37
âCourteous Queen,â said that lovely creature,
 kneeling on the floor, raising her face,
âMatchless mother and fairest maiden,
 fount from which grace and goodness flows.â
 Then from her prayers she stood and paused
 and in that place she spoke these words:
âSir, many seek grace and are granted it here,
 but in this domain there are no usurpers.
 All heaven belongs to that holy empress,
 and earth and hell are within her dominion.
 No one will oust her from her high office
 for she is the queen of courtesy.
Â
38
âThe company of the court of Godâs kingdom
 live by a custom unique to this country.
 Everyone who arrives and enters here
 is called the queen or king of the realm,
 and no one person shall deprive another,
 but derive pleasure from a neighbourâs possessions
 and wish their crowns were five-fold in worth
 if such an improvement were possible.
 But my lady, mother of Jesus our Lord,
 she is highest of all throughout this empire,
 and none of our company is sorry that is so,
 for she is the queen of courtesy.
Â
39
âAnd through such courtesy, as Saint Paul preaches,
 we are all joined with Jesus Christ;
 as head and arm and leg and navel
 are firmly fastened to each personâs frame,
 so every single Christian soul
 belongs to the Master of spiritual mysteries.
 Could hate or similar sentiments exist
 between one beingâs body parts?
 Does your head experience anger or envy
 if your wrist or finger flaunts a ring?
 And like those limbs we live and love
 among heavenâs courteous queens and kings.â
Â
40
âCourtesy,â I said, âit seems certain,
 and heartfelt charity are at home here.
 But without offence let me offer these words:
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
 If you really inhabit these rarefied heights
 and became a queen while so young in years,
 what high honour might be handed to him
 who stood strong and steadfast through strife,
 enduring penance through endless days
 and earning his bliss through bodily ache?
 Surely he would enter heaven with ease
 and be crowned a king of courtesy?
* Line missing in original manuscript.
IX
41
‘O ur gentle Lord acts too generously
if what you say is actually so.
You lived for less than two years in our world,
knew neither your creed nor paternoster
nor how to pray or to please God,
but were dubbed a queen on your first day!
My Lord excuse me, but I cannot believe
that God would make such a great mistake.
On my word, young woman, it would be one thing
if you were counted a countess of heaven
or allotted the role of a lower lady.
But a queen no less – that exceeds the limit.’
Â
42
 âThere is no limit to our Lordâs love,â
 were that worthy womanâs words to me,
 âfor all is honourable that He ordains,
 and He practises nothing that is not pure,
 as the message of Matthew in the mass reminds us
 in a true gospel of Almighty God.
 That parable paints a fitting picture
 which likens honour to the light of heaven.
âMy kingdom on high,â he explains, âis comparable
 to the winemaker looking
Don’t take offence if I speak out of turn
by questioning if you are heaven’s queen,
worshipped by everyone the world over.
We believe in Mary, mother of all grace,
who bore a child while pure and chaste.
No one could vie for the Virgin’s crown
unless they surpassed her in some noble aspect.
Rare and unrivalled, unique in her sweetness,
she has come to be called the Phoenix of Arabia,
a peerless creature that flew from her Creator,
as did the queen of courtesy.’
Â
37
âCourteous Queen,â said that lovely creature,
 kneeling on the floor, raising her face,
âMatchless mother and fairest maiden,
 fount from which grace and goodness flows.â
 Then from her prayers she stood and paused
 and in that place she spoke these words:
âSir, many seek grace and are granted it here,
 but in this domain there are no usurpers.
 All heaven belongs to that holy empress,
 and earth and hell are within her dominion.
 No one will oust her from her high office
 for she is the queen of courtesy.
Â
38
âThe company of the court of Godâs kingdom
 live by a custom unique to this country.
 Everyone who arrives and enters here
 is called the queen or king of the realm,
 and no one person shall deprive another,
 but derive pleasure from a neighbourâs possessions
 and wish their crowns were five-fold in worth
 if such an improvement were possible.
 But my lady, mother of Jesus our Lord,
 she is highest of all throughout this empire,
 and none of our company is sorry that is so,
 for she is the queen of courtesy.
Â
39
âAnd through such courtesy, as Saint Paul preaches,
 we are all joined with Jesus Christ;
 as head and arm and leg and navel
 are firmly fastened to each personâs frame,
 so every single Christian soul
 belongs to the Master of spiritual mysteries.
 Could hate or similar sentiments exist
 between one beingâs body parts?
 Does your head experience anger or envy
 if your wrist or finger flaunts a ring?
 And like those limbs we live and love
 among heavenâs courteous queens and kings.â
Â
40
âCourtesy,â I said, âit seems certain,
 and heartfelt charity are at home here.
 But without offence let me offer these words:
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
 If you really inhabit these rarefied heights
 and became a queen while so young in years,
 what high honour might be handed to him
 who stood strong and steadfast through strife,
 enduring penance through endless days
 and earning his bliss through bodily ache?
 Surely he would enter heaven with ease
 and be crowned a king of courtesy?
* Line missing in original manuscript.
IX
41
‘O ur gentle Lord acts too generously
if what you say is actually so.
You lived for less than two years in our world,
knew neither your creed nor paternoster
nor how to pray or to please God,
but were dubbed a queen on your first day!
My Lord excuse me, but I cannot believe
that God would make such a great mistake.
On my word, young woman, it would be one thing
if you were counted a countess of heaven
or allotted the role of a lower lady.
But a queen no less – that exceeds the limit.’
Â
42
 âThere is no limit to our Lordâs love,â
 were that worthy womanâs words to me,
 âfor all is honourable that He ordains,
 and He practises nothing that is not pure,
 as the message of Matthew in the mass reminds us
 in a true gospel of Almighty God.
 That parable paints a fitting picture
 which likens honour to the light of heaven.
âMy kingdom on high,â he explains, âis comparable
 to the winemaker looking
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