Saint Julien-le-Pauvre, August 25, 2017, Dusk
The icon held in holy dark behind
The altar has a sacred candle lit
In front of gilded beauty. Meaning lined
Up from the flame agrees there on the armpit
Of Christ in blessing. Steinway black and white
Sends Chopin glory up to meet the glow
In underarm of Jesus shining bright
With God's sweet smell. The doctrine is to show
Us God in flesh and hair, not blood but sweat.
Divinity is human and the scent
Of him shines out through nocturnes Frédéric set
On paper and this evening’s twilight lent
To us again in ancient walls and space.
The powered wilting notes repeat Christ's grace.
Retreat in Grieving
The other icons, those against the walls,
Have other light upon them, whiter light.
The paler light of dusk and dreaming falls
Upon their gilding. They become more slight
Like notes in pianissimo which come
At ends of phrases that themselves trail high
To tinctured threatened ecstasy. They thrum
With softness and their darker elements lie flat
In something more like silver. The design
Becomes mere elegant shape tricks. My love
For you is like this complicated, fine,
And doctrineless arrangement, meanings of
Reflection, passionless in passion, sad
In meaninglesses now gone ruined glad.