Stabat Mater

- Brian Mendonca

Mauve on mauve
Carnations for the grave
A lone boat battles
the sea at Sankval
Prawn curry rice
at Claudia's Bogmalo
At Chicalim grounds
the novitiates play St Andrew's.
Uncle Joe is stuck at Karwar
Felicity says 'I cannot come'
Chicken cafreal, sorpotel
for dad's 79th birthday
A priest, a dog and a lamp
set out but do not return
Valencio offers his blessing from the roof
Fog horns in the sleepy morn
- a ship readies to sail.
Adeus korcho vellu paolo
at the end of the repast.
The rosary at the end of the day
before the midnight hour.

(Sunday, 14 September 2008
Vasco, Goa)

Stabat Mater: 13th century latin hymn of 20 couplets describing the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the cross. Sung for the 6.30 a.m. Mass of the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows at St Andrew's Church, Vasco on 15 September 2008. Translated into Konkani - 'Dukhest Avoi dukham borit / Put umkolltalo tea velim /Ubi ahli khorsa mullin.'
Adeus . . . : (Konkani) 'The time to say goodbye has come'. Konkani folksong.

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