First Things RSS Feed - Jean de La Ceppède (c. 1548–1623), translated from the French by Susan McLean https://www.firstthings.com/author/jean-de-la-ceppde-c-15481623-translated-from-the-french-by-susan-mclean en-us Copyright 2025 First Things. All Rights Reserved. ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:55:10 -0500 https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png First Things RSS Feed Image https://www.firstthings.com/rss/author/jean-de-la-ceppde-c-15481623-translated-from-the-french-by-susan-mclean 60 Insignia https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/04/insignia https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/04/insignia Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400 A crimson surcoat aptly suits victorious
kings. This royal victor, as a joke,
is clothed by mocking soldiers in a cloak
that rightly marks him both a prince and glorious.

O precious purple drops, so fill my head
that, as I contemplate your mystery,
you draw a thousand crimson tears from me,
my eyes dyeing these Carmelite robes red.

Your bloody hue attests our sins are tied
to the Lamb’s back by the Father, and Christ takes
our crimes upon his shoulders for our sakes.

O Christ, O holy Lamb, consent to hide
all my red sins (hell’s birch rods) deep within
the bloody folds of the mantle of your skin.

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