Cornus Florida

...[T]he legend of the dogwood flower is that its wood was used to fashion the cross on which Christ was crucified. It seems the dogwood once grew as tall as the oak and other noble trees of the forest, but the shame of being used in the crucifixion caused the dogwood great distress and sadness. Recognizing the dogwood's pain, Jesus is said to have promised to render the tree forevermore unsuited for such a use. From that point on, the tree was to be bent and twisted so the wood would be unsuitable for any use that required a straight length. Furthermore, the petals were to be borne in the shape of a cross, with a rusty red nail mark at the tip of each and a crown of thorns in the center of the blossom.
(from Dogwoods: the Genus Cornus by Paul Cappiello and Don Shadow)


our dogwood tree


O come and mourn with me awhile;
O come ye to the Savior's side;
O come, together let us mourn;
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

Have we no tears to shed for him,
while soldiers scoff and foes deride?
Ah! look how patiently he hangs;
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

How fast his hands and feet are nailed;
his blessed tongue with thirst is tied,
his failing eyes are blind with blood:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

His mother cannot reach his face;
she stands in helplessness beside;
her heart is martyred with her Son's:
Jesus, our Love, is Crucified.

Seven times seven he spoke, seven words of love;
and all three hours his silence cried
for mercy on the souls of men;
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

O break, O break, hard heart of mine!
Thy weak self-love and guilty pride
his Pilate and his Judas were:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

A broken heart, a fount of tears,
ask, and they will not be denied;
a broken heart love's cradle is:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

O love of God! O sin of man!
In this dread act your strength is tried;
and victory remains with love;
for he, our Love, is crucified.

--Frederick William Faber, 1849