Three prayers

For no reason other than that I want to, I put the three prayers—meaning people who are praying rather than the prayers they said—below.

There are only five certifiably quick beings in this poem: in order of appearance they are the Beadsman, Madeline, Porphyro, Angela and "the wakeful bloodhound". Three of these kneel to pray.

First the Beadsman,

Numb were the Beadsman’s fingers, while he told
His rosary, and while his frosted breath,
Like pious incense from a censer old,
Seem’d taking flight for heaven, without a death,
Past the sweet Virgin’s picture, while his prayer he saith.
II.   His prayer he saith, this patient, holy man;
Then takes his lamp, and riseth from his knees,

Then Madeline,

As down she knelt for heaven’s grace and boon;
Rose-bloom fell on her hands, together prest,
And on her silver cross soft amethyst,
And on her hair a glory, like a saint:
She seem’d a splendid angel, newly drest,
Save wings, for heaven:—Porphyro grew faint:
She knelt, so pure a thing, so free from mortal taint.

And then Porphyro

Upon his knees he sank, pale as smooth-sculptured stone.
XXXIV.   Her eyes were open, but she still beheld,
Now wide awake, the vision of her sleep:
There was a painful change, that nigh expell’d
The blisses of her dream so pure and deep
At which fair Madeline began to weep,
And moan forth witless words with many a sigh;
While still her gaze on Porphyro would keep;
Who knelt, with joined hands and piteous eye,
Fearing to move or speak, she look’d so dreamingly.

What's my point? I don't have any. I just think it fascinating that these three kneel and clasp their hands. There is a progression of sorts from the Beadsman who before the sweet Virgin Upper case and definite article, to Porphyro who kneels before a sweet virgin, lowercase indefinite article. This move from caritas to eros is a fairly common move in Provençal troubadour lyrics so it is nothing new or radical for Keats to do likewise. It's just neat and that is the only reason I mention it.

It is Saint Agnes Eve now. And bitter cold it is where I am. It is minus 15 centigrade or five degrees Fahrenheit, clear and cold. We have no owl but we did have a Sharp-shinned hawk chase some poor sparrow into the cedar bushes beside our feeder today. The hawk flew out the other side so I couldn't tell if the he will be keeping warm on sparrow calories tonight or not.

Anyway, sweet dreams all.