Lay for the Day28th October

4004 BC: the sixth day of creation, according to the calculation of Archbishop James Ussher (see 23rd October).

From the book of Praises:

99. Of Days

[In the image]

From day to day more varied,
Friday’s array widened farther
than ever, and elephants,
ants and voles, worms, wolves and anteaters
made their way over the earth,
until one thing more alone remained
to be made; into which last
thing, as into the first, all the rest
would be fitted. Whereas once
he had spoken into existence
and then to existing things,
in the end of beginnings, the rest
being done and entire, he
paused and spoke to himself: “Let us make…”

John Gibbens
from Collected Poems

The Lay Reader: an archive of the poetic calendar