Biography:
Talbot was born into a Methodist family with a musical background in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and started learning to play the guitar at an early age. At age 15 he dropped out of school and was performing as a guitarist for Mason Proffit, a country folk-rock band formed with his older brother Terry.
Talbot embarked on a spiritual journey that led him through Native American religion and Buddhism to Christianity. At this point he and his brother, Terry, joined the Jesus Movement, recording the album Reborn which was re-released by Sparrow Records (originally released as The Talbot Brothers on the Warner Brothers label).
Two solo albums followed for Talbot: John Michael Talbot (1976) and The New Earth (1977). Both of these were produced by Billy Ray Hearn.
Reading the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, he was inspired to begin studying at a Franciscan center in Indianapolis. He became a Roman Catholic and joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1978. He started a house of prayer, The Little Portion.
Talbot moved The Little Portion to Eureka Springs, Arkansas on land he had purchased during his Mason Proffit days. He founded his own community, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, at Little Portion Hermitage as an "integrated monastic community" with celibate brothers and sisters, singles, and families. By 1989, Talbot had married Viola Pratka (with the permission of the Catholic Church). Pratka was a former Incarnate Word Sister who had come to the community in 1986.
Per the community's General Constitutions, Talbot's title is "General Minister and Spiritual Father". For many years, he has promoted the work of Mercy Corps.
The hermitage suffered a fire in April 2008 in which the chapel, library and many common areas were destroyed.
On April 10, 2010 the Bishop of Little Rock, Anthony Taylor, dedicated the new buildings. On October 2, 2010 the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage celebrated the opening of the new monastery church and common center.
One Dark Night
John Michael Talbot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fired with love's urgent longings
Ah, the sheer grace
In the darkness
I went out unseen
My house being all now still
In the darkness
Disguised
Oh, the sheer grace
In the darkness
And in my concealment
My house being all now still
On that glad night
In the secret, for no one saw me
Nor did I see any other thing at all
With no other light to guide me
Than the light burning in my heart
And this light guided me
More surely than the light of the noon
To where he lay waiting for me
Waiting for me
Him I knew so well
In a place where no one else appeared
Oh guiding night
A light more lovely than the dawn
A night that has united
Ever now
The Lover now with his beloved
Transforming two now into one
Upon my flowering breast
There he lay sleeping
Which I kept for him alone
And I embraced him
And I caressed him
In a breeze blowing from the forest
And when this breeze blew in from the forest
Blowing back our hair
He wounded my soul
With his gentle hand
Suspending all my senses
I abandoned, forgetting myself
Laying my face on my Beloved
All things ceasing, I went out from myself
To leave cares
Forgotten with the lilies of the field
The song 'One Dark Night' by John Michael Talbot speaks about an intense and profound spiritual experience that is achieved through a darker and secretive side of life. The singer talks about how he was fired up by the longing of love and in the darkness, he went out unseen. Being hidden from the world, he was able to climb the ladder of love higher, where he experienced sheer grace in the darkness. He felt secured by the love and guidance that was there to help him navigate the darker parts of life. The singer's house being all now still, suggests a state of mind where he shut down from the noise and chaos of the world and became more centered and focused on the unseen beauty of life.
The singer describes the joyous night when he saw no one and nothing else. He was guided by the light burning in his heart, a light that was brighter than the noon. During his journey, he sought out the presence of the one he knew so well, and found him waiting in a place where no one else appeared. The singer describes how he embraced and caressed his beloved and in the process, suspended all his senses. Feeling fully connected and at peace, the singer abandoned himself and forgot all his troubles, choosing instead to focus on the beauty of life and love.
Line by Line Meaning
One dark night
The setting of the story where everything began.
Fired with love's urgent longings
Describing the strong emotions and desires of the singer.
Ah, the sheer grace
A moment of appreciation and awe to the grace they felt.
In the darkness
The environment where the artist found themselves in.
I went out unseen
The artist left suddenly and quietly without anyone noticing them.
My house being all now still
The state of the singer's house where everyone is asleep.
Secured by love's secret ladder
The singer's reference to the ladder of divine ascent, which one climbs to reach spiritual enlightenment in Christian mysticism.
Disguised
The artist, being in deep contemplation, was disguised from the world.
Oh, the sheer grace
Another moment of appreciation for the grace they felt.
And in my concealment
Being hidden from the world as they meditated in secret.
On that glad night
The night being referred to, which turned out to be a joyful moment for the singer.
In the secret, for no one saw me
The artist meditating in secret, where no one could see them.
Nor did I see any other thing at all
The singer's deep focus left them oblivious to their surroundings.
With no other light to guide me
The singer being led by their own faith alone.
Than the light burning in my heart
The singer being driven by the passion they felt inside.
And this light guided me
The artist being led by their inner light.
More surely than the light of the noon
The artist's inner light being stronger and more real than external light.
To where he lay waiting for me
The singer being led to where their spiritual lover awaited them.
Waiting for me
The sense of anticipation the singer felt as they got closer to their goal.
Him I knew so well
The artist being familiar with their spiritual lover.
In a place where no one else appeared
Describing a spiritual realm, where only the artist's lover appears.
Oh guiding night
The artist and their lover being guided by the same night and divine presence.
A light more lovely than the dawn
The love the singer experiences during their spiritual journey is more beautiful than the sunrise.
A night that has united
The night being a symbol of the unification between the artist and their lover in a mystical union.
Ever now
The union being eternal and lasting.
The Lover now with his beloved
The union between the singer and their lover being complete.
Transforming two now into one
The unity of the singer and their lover is now one, with no separation between them.
Upon my flowering breast
The artist's chest being a symbol of their flourishing faith.
There he lay sleeping
The spiritual lover being at peace within the artist's faith.
Which I kept for him alone
The singer's faith being precious and kept solely for their spiritual lover.
And I embraced him
The singer and their lover being in a deep embrace, signifying their unity.
And I caressed him
The artist showing affection and love to their lover, an expression of their intimate relationship.
In a breeze blowing from the forest
Nature being a source of spiritual inspiration for the artist and their lover.
And when this breeze blew in from the forest
Another moment in which nature influenced the artist and their lover's spiritual union.
Blowing back our hair
Nature's wind blowing, causing the singer and their lover's hair to sway.
He wounded my soul
The artist's lover has a profound and transformative impact on their spirituality.
With his gentle hand
The transformative impact being gentle and patient.
Suspending all my senses
The singer's profound experience transcending their senses to a higher plane of understanding and awareness.
I abandoned, forgetting myself
The singer's experience consumed by their love and faith, forgetting their own ego and self.
Laying my face on my Beloved
The artist's deep affection and love, laying their face on their lover's chest.
All things ceasing, I went out from myself
The artist's profound experience taking them beyond themselves, transcending their humanity and ego.
To leave cares
The singer finding relief and liberation from their worries and anxieties.
Forgotten with the lilies of the field
The singer's anxieties and worries forgotten and cast away, living freely like the lilies of the field.
Contributed by Natalie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.