Photo credit Pixabay
When the last sparrow falls,
there’ll be weeping in heaven,
such as that which was heard
when a spear pierced the side;
and The Hope of The World
from the depths of human anguish
to his greatly beloved Father cried (x2)
When the last sparrow falls,
will the world even notice,
with its focus on wealth
at expense of the earth.
Or will the sudden dearth
of the sparrow’s cheery chirping
wake our souls to its worth (x2)
The genesis of this poem, which I intend should become a song, dates back to 2018 when I was privileged to have a term at St John’s College, as Visiting Scholar to help me shape my emerging ideas about songs of faith and science.
Several times, I was drawn to the theme of climate change, but Celia Deane-Drummond of the Theology Faculty felt there was at least as much need for songs and hymns about species loss. This has remained a background thought since then
In the recent past, I have been working to bring more bird life into our garden and a newly installed bird-feeder outside our quiet room started to bring sparrows to it at about the time I spend there each morning.
I had also been thinking in terms of songs of lament, and had ‘discovered’ O’Carolan’s music: the tune ‘The Clergy’s Lament’ felt to have a particular resonance, as I repeatedly reflect on the burden an over-beauracratised Anglican church lays on its local ministers, distracting them from their main task of mission!
All these ideas finally came together on Palm Sunday (2025) but have had to wait the few days of Holy Week and Easter and a short break away (partly to re-visit Durham!) to find their way on to the blog.
