NOTKER BALBULUS- A Hymn to Holy Women

Ok so tonight I have also read A Hymn to Holy Women. Right off the back I have to give a little insight into my mindset while reading this piece. I've seen a lot of movement of the atheist view growing in our society, via media as well as personal friends. I myself do not consider myself to be religious, but I just can not stand the way the leading minds of atheism feel they have to treat the "theistic" people. The only problem is that, even though I feel it wrong to tell a religious person they are wrong, the atheist does present a good amount of evidence. I feel this piece of literature gives a bit of a voice to the religious though, through art, even if found ultimately unneeded, is still joy that is somewhere needed. Alright so that aside here starts the review, the piece starts with Balbulus, a monk, talking about this grand ladder that connects the heavens to Earth. But the ladder is guarded by a dragon so that no one may climb up this coveted ladder. He tells us that the dragon represents the devil, and the ladder is the love of Christ, that helps us get to heaven. He then recalls the incident of the dragon, which is close in anatomy to a snake, that deceived a woman, and asks what good did it do? He is taking about Eve, the first woman, who introduced sin into the world. He then talks of women who are courtesans, "your" vessels which I believe he means tools for the dragon/devil, but are purified by God, and how they are captains in the holy war, and are loyal widows to their dead husbands. I believe he may be talking about nuns since they are married to God, but that could be a stretch. He then talks of a young man, radiant and born with a golden bough in his head, who is born incarnate of a virgin. This is obviously Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary. And then talks of how women, although responsible of bringing sin into the world, are now bearing sons who please God, which in the long run is worse for the devil. I really enjoyed this piece, I felt it must have been "before its time" because it kind of praises woman, and I've always felt a stigma of scapegoating women when it came to religions of Christ. I give this lyric four stars.