St. Anthony Of Padua Poem by Dr John Celes

A son of noble parents rich
Of Portuguese lineage
His Baptism name Ferdinand
Grew up fifteen of age

He never cared for lucre
He renounced worldly things
To follow Christ seemed greater
‘The Lord and King of Kings! ’

He loved the habit friars wore
Of St, Assisi clan
So, left the Augustinian door
To be a hermit man

He read the Holy Scriptures well
And preached and taught, they tell
His memory was indeed swell
Although he had turned ill!

The Lord gave him the gift of the gab
To Anthony, now named
His erudite speeches would stab
heretic’s hearts unashamed

He worked miracles so often
He found lost things quickly
He sermonised to fish even
Although he had ‘dropsy’!

He loved the poor brethren so much
He taunted crime doers
With hands of miracle a touch
He made them church goers!

His love of Jesus was too great
He loved a martyr’s fate
Poison didn’t work when he ate
His life was clean a slate

And when he died, most children cried
‘The Holy father’s dead! ’
All on their own, most church bells tolled
In Padua, people said

The hermit was made saint too soon
A year after his death
His earthly life was all a boon,
Until his very last, breath!

They say that baby Jesus came
And climbed upon his hand
He had a stick with live lilies
An icon of the land!