At the time of writing The Anathemata, DJ would have had constantly in his mind the Roman Liturgy and the early Christian poems Dies Irae and Vexilla Regis. The use of the Latin word ‘Spes’ here brings to mind the Vexilla Regis whose second stanza (in the revised, shortened version of the hymn) begins ‘O Crux ave, spes unica’ (‘O Cross! All hail! Our only hope’).

Hope, like Faith and Justice, is blind.

The anchor is seen as a symbol of a well-grounded hope. As the anchor was often a seaman’s last resort in stormy weather, it was frequently connected with hope. (‘Hope and Anchor’ is quite a common name for an English pub.) Being made of a solid body, the anchor was also identified with firmness, solidity, tranquility and faithfulness. The anchor remains firm and steady amidst the stormy waters, symbolising the stable part of a human being, that quality which enables us to keep a clear mind amid the confusion of sensation, emotion and the general ‘storms’ of life. St. Paul (or whoever was the author of the epistle) writes that ‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast’ (Hebrews 6:19). Hope is being asked what her instinct is as to where the flukes of her hook will next be grounded and held fast, if no longer the Cross. This question is not answered. How else could it be?

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