Singing streams and star stuff

Mary Brown on singing streams

Singing streams and star stuff | Photo: Photo: Moyan Brenn / flickr CC

From earth’s wide bounds From ocean’s farthest coast Through gates of pearl Streams in the countless host, Singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost Alleluia, Alleluia!  I can remember singing ‘For All the Saints’ when I was about five or six. Certainly, it was before I had met the word ‘stream’ as a verb. So the picture this verse conjured up in my young mind was of a countless host of streams, rushing down hill from all directions. They were singing as they joined together and went through enormous sluice gates, which shone like diamonds. I don’t think I had seen a pearl, either.

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