Behold the conquest-pageantry of God Most High! Spring bears the golden sun, a flag, before Him. Favonius strikes and sounds the drum with pomp and trumpeters give forth their sweetest sounds. The singing sky-host comes, both large and little, each favouring, instead of laurel, something newly grown. Earth lays a brightly flowered cloak beneath the sapphire throne on which the conqueror sits. The crown is victory and joy, the fruit is life, and all creation's work a shout of praise. The breath of all things, now renewed, through fresh air gives loud-silent praise. The north wind, ice and snow are now enslaved. My poor leaf shall be victory's monument. Note: Favonius was the name for the west wind in classical Roman mythology. This translation was published in Faith Today, March/April 2026. Click here to read in the original German.
Category: Sonnets
The Lord’s Supernatural Sea-walking
Mark 6:45-52
What's this--the Lord so effortlessly walks on water? Does not the wet glass, the swift wave, give way? No! It is diamond-hard, obliged to carry him who carries sea and land as long as life endures. How is it that no whirlwind whirls him round? He quickly quells wind's bluster when he speaks; one word and instantly its frantic raging stops. Is not his mouth the source from which it blows? See here, what Depth moves on the deep! The Uncreated hovers over the created, which is prepared to swallow its creator, whose might meanwhile robs it of all its might. The whole sea is a droplet of his wisdom. One holy lightning flash and it evaporates. Art by Gen Tsuboi. Used with permission. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
Our Saviour’s Power-filled Wondrous Walk on Earth
Jesus! Your wonders so astonish and amaze me that, muter than the mute before you gave him speech, I am in doubt: Where to begin to praise your works? Led by your hands, the miracles multiply. I see great marvels on display wherever I turn, hear what has not been heard before: the dead are raised; the blind are given sight and soul's delight; the deaf also can hear, to the glory of God. The lame ones run like deer, led by their Mover, and leprosy is banished by your cleansing power. There's not a single thing you cannot overcome. You govern all; all must obey and serve you. And yet you give your heart to us so gently, revealing the great goodness that is yours alone. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
To the Canaanite Faith-Heroine
Matthew 15:21-28 Bold warrior! Do not let your courage falter; pray and persist. Knock hard upon this stone which surely holds a spark of grace that, after a hard blow, will flash with joy. Then you'll drink healing nectar from this rock. The tiger soon will be a pelican to you; Mars, a Venus star; thunder and lightning, sun. The time has come to call for help, advice, and action. Hear what he says; O joy! He gives, he gives himself. From the Invincible you win the victory. "Woman, your faith is great! It shall be done for you, what you with hight hopes asked of me." Heroic faith achieves a double victory: God's mercy is aroused, the devil driven out. Note: Medieval bestiaries describe the pelican as nourishing her young with her own blood. The pelican was a popular symbol for Christ in the Middle Ages, and appeared widely in art and church iconography. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
Joyful Salutation to the Miraculously-Awakened Maiden
Mark 5:21-24, 35-43 Arise, lovely maiden, your Maker makes you rise! Rise up, fall at his feet, and kiss this hand that tore you free from death and loosed the grip that snatched you, tender flower, before your time. The strangler's rage is thwarted by the Lion of Life. He gave life to the girl, and to her parents, the pledge that came through them into this world. Awestruck, we stare in wonder at this deed. Life-Giver, praise to you! The father says, "You've raised my child, and even me, to life. By your grace, we can be bold in facing death because your vigour conquers its decay. My dearest child and I and all of us, with thousand joys, my God, now live and die in you." Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
The Ever-Wakeful Sleeper in the Wind-Tossed Boat
Matthew 8:23-27 God sleeps, yet does not sleep. His sleep reveals weakness of the disciples' faith within the storm when he withdraws his sheltering hand from them, concealing, as it seems, his shining eye of grace. Calamity compels him instantly to wake. He who binds the winds holds in his hand the band and can as easily call back what he sent forth. At once they come from every corner of the rocks. The wave that wants to wed itself to clouds, expecting them to bow, is now brought low, retreating humbly to its ordered place. Now sea and wind are still, a vital question rises: What kind of man is this, whom wind and sea obey? I answer: He who makes us one with God. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
On the Most Holy Baptism of Christ
Will then the Well of Life itself be baptized here? Will human hands pour water on the Spirit-anointed head? A healing stream flows through his every limb— an overflow of love and grace. Here, without money, buy more than a whole world's worth of treasure. The sour sea of sin made sweet with the juice of grace: we taste, enraptured, sweetest joy within the gall. The weight of faith will swim; the lightest sin will drown. You, world and heaven's hero, a right great Alexander! You set your foot into the flow before your troops. A thousand worlds, alone or all together, could never satisfy your eagerness to save— you with your sea of blood, your heaven of mercy, although a drop's enough to bathe them clean of sin. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
On the Glorious Wonder of God’s Reign
Oh you whose wisdom dews the stars, the source of destiny—and yet without their work your art alone brings everything to pass, displays your strength from which heaven's powers, in highest meekness, flee! Your royal staff streams light of righteousness and goodness. Rapt in wonder, I mark your tender care for your creation's crown as for the slightest speck. No fiery angel-mind attains your loving-kindness. You spin a happiness-web of a thousand threads: in all the starry spheres, in all earth-places, all effort must be offered to the work that you begin. Your all-providing power prepares the way. You pull the cord to which all hearts are clinging and bring the mind's design, through action, into being. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German. This translation is published in To Heaven's Rim: The Kingdom Poets Book of World Christian Poetry, ed. Burl Horniachek (Cascade Books, 2023).
On the Persecuted Though Irrepressible Virtue
It is the greatest honor to be unconquerable and like Hercules oppose misfortune. Against resistant steel the sword is honed to boldness, gains edge, acquires that heroic glow. The laurel leaf defies fire and thunderbolt. Virtue will not be harmed by malice; no! Much more it kindles pure astonishment. Misery and misfortune become virtue's wonder-shrine. What adorns Cyrus's victory? Weapons of resistance. Through wars alone Philip's son wins the world, and Caesar gains the sceptre only after battle. Crown and throne are not for lazy victors. Therefore, meet misery with defiance! Let nothing turn you back! The crown already hovers over you, held in God's hands. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
On My Many and Varied Misfortunes
As many as the hedgehog’s quills must be the weapons that protect me everywhere against capricious fortune and stem the wounding hand’s assault on virtue. Each hour and moment I must face this foe that bristles like the hedgehog with its pricks and tricks. For virtue’s sake I must defiantly confront all fortune’s change and mutability. While it plagues me, it chokes on its own pleasure. For only a short while I must contend with fortune, then I will triumph; defeated, it will follow me in chains. If now, for virtue’s sake, I am despised and taunted, I pay no heed, if only I may do my work. If God is pleased, my pain will be repaid a thousandfold, whether on earth or at his throne of bliss. Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.