Dave’s Anatomy: My History As a Writer,#122: Pagan Girl, Christian Guy, Clergyman from 1640: “How Great Our Joy.”

Robert Herrick

There is a hymn tune found in many American collections called “How Great Our Joy.” The name of the tune given in the upper right-hand corner of the psalter is “Herrick’s Carol.” I know quite a bit about the poet Robert Herrick because I did my Ph.D. dissertation on his religious poetry. Herrick was a poet but also (like George Herbert) an Anglican priest. Many people will not recognize his name, but two references bring him into popular culture: 1) he wrote the poem with the famous opening lines “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may”; 2) in the scene in Dead Poet’s Society where the character played by Robin Williams takes the boys he is teaching to the trophy room to show them photographs of graduates who have died long ago, Williams mentions Herrick and the concept of carpe deim, “seize the day,” which one finds quite a lot in Herrick’s poetry.

My story, “How Great Our Joy,” centers around the experience of two young people, Maxwell and Astraea. They work together at a school for special needs students. Both are musicians; in fact, Astraea does musical therapy. On occasion they play concerts together at the school are mutually respectful of each other’s mastery and competence. Maxwell is a Christian; Astraea is a pagan. One of Astraea’s pagan friends, Callie, finds out she does music with a Christian and unloads, telling her that Christianity has caused the deaths of more people than any other cause in history and that Christians burned nine million women at the stake in medieval Europe. She should not be associating with him in any way. “He wants to kill you,” she says. 

Astraea finds this absurd but asks Maxwell about it. He says these are common myths circulated by people who dislike Christianity and they are fabrications. When Astraea researches the claims, she finds he is correct. One night she and Callie go to a coffee bar. Maxwell, and a very beautiful young women, come on stage as the musical act for the night. Callie wants to leave, but Astraea wants to hear the concert. As they listen, she pines that the woman with Maxwell is so much more beautiful than she; these feelings make her realize she is attracted to him despite their religious difference. At intermission, she finds out the woman is Maxwell’s sister. Callie leaves. Maxwell and his sister talk with Astraea. He ends up asking her out. Despite opposition from her friends and parents, she begins dating him. 

Winter Solstice Celebration

He attends a Solstice Celebration with Astraea and her family; she goes to a Church service with him (it is near Christmas and she knows some of the carols they sing just from hearing them so much at this time of the year). Astraea feels love for Maxwell, but also realizes how much opposition and they are facing and the numerous complications that could derail their relationship. She wonders what she might do to show her love and hits upon a plan.  She goes to two people who are yoga adepts and unfolds it to them. They agree to help her. Since all points of time exist at the same time, they tell her, they can bring about what she has asked.

Robert Herrick's Church in Devonshire

Through the practitioners’ intervention, Astraea is able to transport her and Maxwell back in time, to the days of King Charles I, the 1630s, and the church of Maxwell’s favorite poet Robert Herrick. They attend a service at his church and, afterwards, get to meet him. When the service is over they help distribute food to poor parishioners. Herrick himself is charming, earthy, and sincere in his devotion—despite what she has read about him being an indifferent Christian or one whose loyalties to the old deities of Greece and Rome were greater than his allegiance to the Christian faith. She is certain her relationship with Maxwell can be fruitful—perhaps even end in their being married. They respect each other’s faith and can love each other and experience mutuality despite their differences.

The story appeared in  the journal Eternal Haunted Summer and was reprinted in the anthology Passion Beyond Words. Eternal Haunted Summer has archived the story and you can read it here. If you want a print copy, Passion Beyond Words is available here.

For additional books, check out my Amazon Page.

Also, for a good short story and a nice summer read, see my story "Azalea." One of the best I've written.

I would love to hear your comments.

Happy summer reading.