I was on holiday in Spain with my family when we drove in to San Sebastian, a
beautiful fishing town on the northern coast, with steep cliffs above the
beach. On top of the cliff, seen from the distance, there appeared to be a statue of the Madonna, predominant as the
Jesus above Rio de Janeiro and a melody that had been playing in my head for days suddenly found itself with lyrics. While my wife and daughters swam, I went off to
explore it. A narrow path zigzagged through the trees, and at every ten yards
another couple transformed it into a lovers’ lane. Used condoms were planted in
the hedgerows. Variations upon Romeo loves Juliet were scrawled over the base
of the statue. The Canaanites could have been copulating beneath the trees in
this sacred grove of Astarte, who turned out not be Astarte after all, nor any other version of Our Lady, but a stone Jesus after all. But it was still magnificent, and by the time I discovered it, half the song was already written in my head.
There’s
a light on the hill when the angels pass by
Where
the sun and the moon embrace in the sky
A
cold marble statue stands facing the sea
In
a Paradise garden for lovers-to-be
It’s
a shrine made of kisses - but there’s never enough
It’s
a home in the world for Our Lady of Love
And
this is the blessing and this is the curse
May
she bind up the scars of this torn universe
At
the apex of longing, on the mount of desire
May
her kisses bear fruit her caresses inspire
May
she give you the wax may she give you the seal
May
she honour the contract of healer and healed
In
the glow of her beauty that light on the hill
Ten
thousand years old and yet visible still
Such
eloquent silence such memorable calm
Your
heart in its stillness serene as a psalm
And
the lovers’ graffiti cannot even smudge
This
statue so perfect Our Lady of Love
And
this is the blessing and this is the spell
On
all who love badly the few who love well
May
Our Lady protect you may she cradle your heart
When
your lips come together when your limbs move apart
May
she bind up the wounds of the women and the men
May
she keep you together, forever, and forever, amen.
You can find David Prashker at:
If
you would like to include "Our Lady Of Love" in your repertoire,
either for paid public performance or to record for commercial
purposes, or if you would like to re-use the recordings attached to this
blog-page for commercial purposes, contact
argaman@theargamanpress.com.
Use of this song, and/or these recordings, for
non-commercial purposes, is not simply permitted but invited.
Words and music by David Prashker
Copyright © 2014 David Prashker
All rights reserved
The Argaman Press
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