Daily Reading for December 5 • Clement of Alexandria, Priest, c. 210

Curb for wild horses,
Wing for bird-courses
Never yet flown!
Helm, sage for weak ones,
Shepherd, bespeak once,
The young lambs thine own.

Rouse up the youth,
Shepherd and feeder,
So let them bless thee,
Praise and confess thee,—
Pure words on pure mouth,—
Christ, the child-leader!

Oh, the saints’ Lord,
All-dominant word!
Holding, by Christdom,
God’s highest wisdom!
Column in place
When sorrows seize us,—
Endless in grace
Unto man’s race,
Saving one, Jesus!

Pastor and ploughman,
Helm, curb, together,—
Pinion that now can
(Heavenly of feather)
Raise and release us!
Fisher who catcheth
Those whom he watcheth.

From Ode to the Saviour by Clement of Alexandria, quoted in The Greek Christian Poets and the English Poets by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (London: Chapman and Hall, 1863). Found at http://www.voskrese.info/spl/browning.html