[Art credit: "Calla Lillies No. 1" by Sondra Wampler]
I don't like old hymnals – their odour reminds me so much
of funerals, of tired sermons and of half-empty pews;
Their 'Rock of Ages' and 'Nearer to Thees' groan like gravestones.
But subliminally, the coffin-shaped windows
stain-glassed, with saints posturing, are ever
simple charms which were my solace when bored as a child.
Memories claw about old churches like crows do on drunken fences,
but give me white lilies, buckets full of them as if arrayed for Solomon
for funerals, weddings and especially Saints' Days
and I shall say, "How wonderful, beautiful, splendid old churches seem".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a list
A contest entry
- PIF contest: Picture~Inspired by Night Hope.
1500 points, ended August 31, 2008, 16 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
-
First of all, let me thank you for your entry into my contest. I appreciate the time & effort that you spent on your poem immensely, because I completely recognize & understand the symptoms as being my own, as well. lol
Also, please let me apologize & ask for your understanding this somewhat generic comment; I have a migraine & need to get this contest judged so I can get to bed. I don't have a lot of time or energy to be online these days. Which is partly why I'm commenting at 3 am.
These are the parts that gained my admiration the most:
"groan like gravestones
But subliminally, the coffin-shaped windows
stain-glassed, with saints posturing"
~ * ~
"Memories claw about old churches like crows do on drunken fences,
but give me white lilies"
This is quite the lovely penning; it holds much depth within its brevity. I thank you sincerely for sharing this part of your Self with the rest of us lost, angelic souls...Keep writing...This world needs all the Poets & Scribes it can hold. Especially now.
Be good to yourself & those around you; it really does matter, as you know.
~ Wanda
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