Sunday, June 28, 2009

my cathedral



My cathedral, green,
buttresses a deep blue southern sky;
my cardinal, red,
sings hymns that raise a host
of finches, gold.

27 comments:

  1. Blowing me away here! The double meaning with the house of God and the rites of the mass. Wow! Just, WOW!!!

    Kat

    Are you back from your trip? I hope it was wonderful!

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  2. Beautiful, just beautiful. You paint such a vivid, colorful word picture that I don't even need the photo---but the trees are very cathedral-like the way they bend and meet, like a ceiling of green. Blessings!

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  3. Colored in rainbows of deep spiritual
    connection. Lovely

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  4. I suppose it must be a reverse synecdoche, but don't know if such a thing has a name, the entire cathedral becoming a part of itself - the butress - and taking on its function by supporting the sky. Whatever it's called its very nicely done. And I really like the colours ending alternate lines. Not to mention, as Kat says, the double entendres. Hope you had a good trip. I don't recognise your lovely new profile picture. Who is it by?

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  5. Dear Karen,

    So many threads woven for each cloak of beauty you create. Thank you for your weaving so sublime.

    Thank you too, for including time in your travels to visit and note.

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  6. That is a really lovely poem-- the colors are just right, & the host of goldfinches is really an amazing image.

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  7. Good to see you back Karen. How was the trip?

    "my cathedral" refects a sense of peace, belonging, support and home.
    I love the 2nd line: "buttresses a deep blue southern sky".
    The green branches of your picture accents your lines beautifully.

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  8. guess hw many poems u wud write to reveal urself..!!
    ethereal way of writing.
    loved.
    amazed,rather.

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  9. On another note, I just discovered a writng e-zine called The Rose and Thorn - http://www.theroseandthornezine.com/ - and it has a cover illustration I know you'll love - Flora, by Evelyn de Morgan. It's likely you already know one or both, but just in case . . .

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  10. I am spellbound by these words. Have read them like 30 times already. I dont know any words to truly praise this. You are not a poet no... you are a magician!

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  11. What a delightful verse to herald your homecoming. Picturesque and scenic, there's no place like home. Welcome back, dear friend.

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  12. On yet another note, thanks for the link - I followed it from your list - to Catapult to mars. Wonderful things tere.

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  13. Welcome back Karen, unless as some seem to feel you are not back yet. Did you find adventure?

    Winter's Ice

    These days I notice
    certain evergreens have changed
    because winter's ice
    weighed them down. No one
    has figured out how to put
    them back in their place.
    They bow as if God
    was near blessing them,
    as if they needed such boon.
    I feel the weight too.

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  14. Hello, All! I am home after a wonderful trip. I couldn't have asked for a more refreshing, exhilarating, busy holiday. I am sure bits and pieces of my trip will find their way into my writing. Thoughts are already percolating! As good as it was, when I returned, I gorged myself on the green space that is my home. Remember, I'm the one who wrote these lines:

    My gods are forest deep
    On shadowed, mossy altars
    Made of peat; my prayers,
    The flowing streams, the rocks
    They shape, the poetry they speak.
    I know my self on woodland paths;
    Their lore runs in my blood,
    A rustic mapping through my veins
    To find my heart in woods.

    So, since I am still feeling myself on European time (6 hours ahead of here), I was up in plenty of time to take a woodland walk before church on Sunday morning. I spent a good bit of time in St. Paul's and Notre Dame, but I found a green cathedral right here at home.

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  15. Kat - I'm smiling! I knew you'd feel it. Thank you, my friend.

    Marion - Welcome and thank you. I took the picture in the early morning, so the sky doesn't show as blue as it usually is here, but I love the arch of the trees. I'm happy to meet you. I'll visit your place soon.

    Linda - Thank you for reading and for your sweet comment.

    Mairi - Hello! First, my profile pic is a Waterhouse. It's called The Missal. When I came back, I inadvertently deleted a file that contained all of my blog pictures, so I decided it was a good time to change, anyway.

    Maybe this is a distant relative to synecdoche? Second cousin twice removed? The black sheep of the metaphor family? ;-) Anyway, glad it works!

    The Rose and Thorn, I just discovered. We must be following some of the same links. I do love the cover. Also, you're welcome for the Catapult link. He's pretty amazing, isn't he?

    It's nice to see you back here. Thanks for visiting.


    Rose Marie - You are always effusive in your words. Thank you for your continued graciousness.


    John - Thank you. I think it fits with your recent post of finding haven, don't you?


    Margaret - Hi! Yes, I'm back from a great trip. I can't think what could have made it better, actually! Thank you for your kind words. I'm surrounded by the beautiful colors of this early summer bounty. I'm a lucky gal.

    extremity - Thank you for visiting and for your kind words!

    Gerry - *bowing* ;-) Thanks.

    Aniket - Thirty times? love, love, love you!!

    K - Thank you. I'm clicking my heels...(and you're right).

    Christopher - Let all the earth rejoice! Thank you for the image of the trees bowing down.

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  16. Amen. No pipe organ necessary.

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  17. BEAUTIFUL! I love it!! Hi, Karen! I had a feeling you were home again, just by reading these lovely lines. You're probably like me...you love to travel, but you praise the coming home to that cathedral of green against the deep blue southern sky. YES! This poem is a beautiful hym of praise. I'm so glad you ended it with the word "gold." Again...YEAH!

    It's great to have you back, Karen. I was starting to get all gloomy without you around:) I can't wait to read what your trip inspired.

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  18. Thanks, Jason!

    Julie - I loved the cities, but was starved for green by the time I got home! Be it ever so humble... well, you know! Thanks for the warm welcome. I haven't written a thing! I'd better get cookin'!

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  19. The way you've aligned the church metaphor with the colors represented in the sacristy is gorgeous.

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  20. Jeanne - Welcome to Keeping Secrets, and thank you for your comment. I'd just come from a vacation where I visited several cathedrals, so it was much on my mind. I've been over to the Raisin, and I love the humor and the discussions there. I'm sure I'll be back for more.

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  21. I love it! It was fun to imagine the cardinal as a catholic cardinal in all his garb. Nice one!

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  22. Dear Karen, I invite you to visit the post, "All Known" posted on June 24, 2009 - as it relates to your post, suffice to state, "ME TOO"... I also joyfully responded to your comment on today's post. Much love, Rose Marie

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  23. this is perhaps the purest expression of worship i can recall. not as an act, but as an existence. wow.

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  24. Lovely Karen, what better place to show gratitude than in nature.

    Hope you had a wonderful holiday,

    sunshine days,

    Sarah))

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  25. Lovely poem. Short, but telling.

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  26. Cat - I guess we were both thinking church, with your Nones and my green cathedral! Thanks for stopping by!

    Rose Marie - I did visit and saw the connections immediately. Sometimes I think we send vibes out here!

    joaquin - How good to see you back! I'm looking forward to tomorrow! I really love the way you expressed this - worship as existence is exactly what I was trying to convey.

    Sarah! Yay! I was just thinking about you, and went to your old site to see if you'd been posting. I've missed you, and I hope your writing days are being productive. I'm looking forward to the Cow! Thanks for your words. Sunshine days to you, too, my friend.

    Dave - Thanks for that very nice comment.

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  27. Karen, my sweet friend. This is lovely. I must be missing all of your updates.

    So sorry for that! I have to re-do my blog roll, as it's not always accurate.

    ~Calli

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