Lucifer and all the Angels

 

These past few weeks I must admit to finding Tom Ellis playing the lead in the TV show Lucifer very funny and most entertaining and he is splendid as Lucifer Morningstar. If you look that upon the internet, he is described as the most beautiful of angels, the shining one, the light bearer, bringer of the dawn. Well this Lucifer may not be everybody’s idea of what an angel looks like but I am finding poor old Luci most acceptable as a bedtime story before we turn in for the night. It is funny and I will make all sorts of allowances for something that may be far from perfect, but that makes me smile and leaves me with a warm glow of amusement. My first laugh out loud moment; was when he said to the young woman who had got life all wrong, “Don’t tell the Devil made you do it because I know he didn’t”. That is just one of the devilish one liner’s that make very light stuff of this particular portrayal of the Prince of Darkness. Of course he knew that, because he is the devil. When I was a child I always told my parents that the Devil made me do it whenever I was caught being naughty.

 

 

 I do love a good angel brought in as a character, being somebody who has several times now stayed overnight in the room in a hotel in the Black Forest where it is claimed that Dr Faustus stayed and is where the Devil came to claim back what was an outstanding debt. Years ago I went to the tiny and scruffy little cinema The Palladium in Littlehampton. They were showing Dr Faustus with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. I went on my own because nobody else I knew wanted to see it. The little cinema was none the less full with townsfolk who did want to catch it. At the moment where Mephistopheles appears to Faust in a vile guise I jumped out of my skin and grabbed hold of the man sitting next to me which in turn made him jump too.

 

 

 

There have been lots of Angels as characters in movies over the years I loved John Travolta as Michael and how lovable was Nicholas Cage in City of Angels and Tilda Swinton was a great Gabriel.

 

 

The first Angel my daughter and her little friend Helen encountered was a very young Tony Robinson in a children’s’ nativity in the Chichester Festival Theatre where I think he was an angel called Chicago in a delightful new show, Follow the Star. He was an apprentice angel sent to tell Mary the good news but he kept getting things wrong. He was lovely in that, long before he became Baldrick. Here below is the Angel Earl in Saving Grace.

 

 

The Parking Angel is one introduced to me by my daughter who like me often needs this most useful service. This Angel is most helpful I find when spoken to nicely. 

 The Parking Angel 

Not by chance I have driven in to town

Necessity calls for responsive obedience

Drivers behaving worse than a circus clown

Each in greater need face a stern frown

Only to themselves holding allegiance 

Nearing the destination of the day

Awareness is set a different test

Focus changing from traffics array

Instead a search to park and stay

My method varies from the rest 

No spaces anywhere in plain sight

Help is needed and I offer a prayer

To the Parking Angel on winged flight

Who seems to know where is right

And guides me to a spot newly there 

She only helps her faithful few

Respect the only payment we need

To the feathered apparition due

Whilst some at the car park entrance queue

Quietly thanks to her I will concede.

 

 

Archangel 

Will there be an angel above to watch over me

As I pursue my continually active path

Will my angel be pleased with what in me they see?

Will my enemies ever see my guardian’s wrath? 
 

My angel knows me well but I can only dream

As to how my heavenly partner would appear

I fit in with the almighty’s well planned scheme

Or do both God and angel think me very queer 
 

Ultimately I am left with a freedom of will

Making the best of each branch of life’s tree

Just try my hardest my dreams to fulfil

As I launch myself onto an earthly Grand Prix 
 

Hold on in my mind to what I think is the theme

Now ride the waves and heaven help me steer

If I’m wrong let the angel send a warning beam

And check the reins for a path more austere 
 

Demeanour be approved as I ride adventure’s sea

Protect me with your sword held high in goodwill

Your armour glinting as I run before you free

Send me your warnings via a plucked wing quill 
 

Angel tresses of gold reflect in sunlight gleam

Mighty wings wafting my spirit with good cheer

Pray for my safety and find it in my celestial team

With perseverance push and hope the way is clear 
 

Fight for success ‘til the end of the mission see

Gather interest now from my training hours drill

God give me strength I ask on bended knee

Push on doggedly my focus kept on icy chill 
 

The Archangel rides on inside my poor soul’s sphere

And has my back as I feel each tender muscle scream

Then at last the end is in sight and to the finish veer

To complete our work that so many think extreme