The Hosanna Anthem, even read as a poem with no accompaniment, is full of energy and emotion. It is a call to action with the anticipation of a new day coming. This text, to me, is not just directed toward the saints of the church. It is instead meant to stir up those who are not yet members to think about what they are missing out on and the direction the church is headed. This text paints the picture that the saints are not afraid to meet their maker and are readily awaiting the day they can prove their faithfulness. It keeps coming back to the chorus of “singing” and “shouting” in praise and excitement.
The Family Prayer, although could easily be applied to a
much broader audience, is intended for members of the church and to emphasize
the importance of gathering as a family in prayer. With a young family, which
many members of the church have, it can seem hard or irreverent to get everyone
together and try and have a peaceful time. The point of this poem is to use
words that incite excitement, all under the umbrella of prayer. This poem is a
reminder and a lesson of the importance of prayer as a family.
Marcus, I like your focus on the text of the Hosanna Anthem. As I was reading it, I was mostly just singing the song in my head, but I do agree that it is directed to both members and non-members. The Family Prayer was definitely intended for an LDS audience as sort of a "Love at Home" warning.
ReplyDeleteI actually didn't write this blog post, but Henry did. I would agree with you that the text does seem to focus on a larger audience. The word Hosanna itself is used in various religions and I think that helps broaden its audience.
DeleteIt was nice to see what the Hosanna Anthem meant to you on a personal level, as well as other aspects of the poem--it added greater depth to the poem. I can relate to that, as I immediately went to the hymn in my head within the first line of the poem. With the second poem, you also show the members-of-the-church family aspect.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that the "Hosanna Anthem" is such a powerful poem even without the music shows what great literature it is. And "The Family Prayer," which can seem silly at first, is seen as a much more important poem when you consider that it's teaching the essential nature of consistent and reverent family prayer. Purpose makes a difference.
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