The Annunciation To Mary Poem by Ava

In that land there lived a maiden
—to us it has been often said—
this woman’s ancestry
was of faultless lineage:
she was born from Jesse’s stem.
Thereafter she became God’s nursing mother
in maiden purity,
something that no woman had ever been.
Truly after these events,
in the sixth month,
the angel was sent,
Gabriel the warrior,
to the town of Nazareth,
as it is written here,
to the queen
who is the glory of all women.
When the angel went in,
this is how he began;
he said: “Ave gratia plena,
Greetings to you, Mary!
God wishes to dwell with you.
May you be blessed among other women!”
The maiden was seized with wonder
about what this message might be.
Without doubt she thought the message
that the angel brought her
extremely strange.
She pondered very quietly
with such humility
as befit the good woman.
When the angel saw that,
he spoke to her thus:
“Do not be afraid!
This is what I say to you:
You alone
have found favor with God.
Ecce concipies et paries filium.
He will be called God’s Son
and named Jesus.
At him the whole world will rejoice.
In truth he will be
a mighty savior.
God will honor him by giving him
David’s throne.
In Jacob’s house,
there will Jesus reign
in eternum et ultra.
Believe what I have said, Mary!”
“How can that be,” said the maiden,
what you have announced to me,
that I will bear a child?
I do not know a man.
That is why I am amazed
that I am nonetheless to become a mother.”
Then the angel said:
“Spiritus sanctus will come over you.
He will overshadow your womb,
and you will have conceived a child.
I have more to tell you:
Elizabeth, your kinswoman,
who is in old age,
is to bear a child.
This is now the sixth month
since God’s will commanded it.
From this you can know
that nothing is impossible for God.”
Then Saint Mary said:
“About God I am free of doubt.
I believe his power
over young and over old.”
She said: “Ecce ancilla domini.”
According to your words may it happen to me.”