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At left, The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. At right, a view of the West Rose, an enormous rose-colored stained glass window at the cathedral. |
This grand cathedral
English-Gothic
That the masons spent four score (in years) to craft and build
Resounds with mighty organ diapasons
Strong enough to make both worshippers and pillars tremble,
While the white-robed priests and acolytes and smoke-stack candles
In processional arrive for vespers,
Just as in medieval times.
The celebrant,
a modern-day black African,
Intones a sermon inspirational,
Prelude to the keen-toned choirs
Of boys and girls and adults
Filling up the hall in prime polyphony,
Just as though a British queen were there,
And not just 50 faithful scattered
In a choppy sea of empty pews.
---National
Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
©2008 by Paul Hertelendy. This poem first posted May 19, 2008.
Paul Hertelendy is critic
and webmaster for the arts-review web site www.artssf.com, and
is also the Piedmont (CA) Centennial poet laureate. To visit his
website, click here: PAUL
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