Mary of Joseph
Mary of Michael Parker

Blessed Mary

An Easter Lily,1 born with skin snow white,2
With eyes of green and lovely golden hair,3
You will, as the most beautiful and fair,4
On your last day, pass over5 to the light.

You have found favor with our Lord and God,6
And are elect and blessed.7 You can with love,
Exclaim, "My soul doth magnify the Lord,
My Spirit hath rejoiced in God's true Word."8
A chosen one, who's blessed9 by God above,
You're highly favored,10 holding to the rod.11

You're like the tree, so beautiful and white,
That yields the sweetest fruit for all to share.12
The fruit is blessed, which you by labor bear,13
Your tree of life14 grows gloriously bright.15

by John P. Pratt
18 April 1995
   Her 16th birthday16

Notes
  1. Another name for Mary.
  2. 1 Nephi 11: 8,13.
  3. As seen in my dream.
  4. 1 Nephi 11:15.
  5. Born on last day of Passover.
  6. Luke 1:30.
  7. Luke 1:28.
  8. Luke 1:46-47.
  9. Luke 1:45.
10. Luke 1:28.
11. Luke 1:45, 1 Nep. 11:25.
12. 1 Nep. 8:11, 11:8,22.
13. Luke 1:42, D & C 101:100.
14. Alma 32:40-42.
15. Mat. 5:16, Alma 32:35.
16. The Virgin Mary was 16 at the Annunciation.

This is a Chiastic Sonnet

The above sonnet is a chiasm. For an explanation of what that means, see my main Poetry page. It was written both to my daughter Mary and also for the Virgin Mary, for whom she was named. Hence, all of the poem applies to both of them. Both of the portraits are courtesy of the artist Michael S. Parker (Mary's husband).