Notes from Bilbao Cathedral
A poem
Through a stone arch, we passed stone
worn smooth, we passed
into the great cathedral, into sacred space
we passed,
My very being is questioning quietly, the gold
the rich merchants tomb,
we passed, the devout or profane enshrined
in stone,
We passed deep dark timber pews, offering
no comfort yet we sit
instinctively we bless ourselves, habits
of a life,
The majesty of these moments will pass
like this candle lit
for you dear friend Mary,
we see the flame flicker and burn bright
while we passed,
The cathedral remains solid, impervious to
time and the cold spring rain.
Chris Papps
Category: poetry
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No comments on Notes from a Cathedral
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Here they value politeness
greetings
respect,
taking time to lunch
no gorging
course by course, cheese of course!
Here they work
walk quickly with purpose
on the pave
but stop to greet
neighbours on the busy street
we say merci!
embrace the politeness of this place.
C -
Revealing through concealing
each layer
lifted lovingly, each word wisely gifted,
Yellow daffodils
so appealing by a glassy surfaced lake
swan, geese cluster
around the shores, where we pretend
we are present here…
But not awake.
Poetry flows in currents
ghyll rushes and flows insistently
to lake and seas,
My words, earned are now spent
allow me to settle
to sink.
Chris -
A poem
The lake untroubled by turmoil,
serenity over strife,
Oh if only those turbulent tides that rage inside
could mirror that mere,
Lord take me here, in my heart the drones fly
all day, we pray
the lake untroubled lies before me.
I am drowning
here on dry land all plans still uncertain
let us sit still, right here my love.
Chris -
A poem
When all the stories have been told, retold and
reimagined
when all the poetry has been written
when the times twist in our guts, making our
hearts sore
because with words I am smitten
then I will want more.
C
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A poem, yes, it is, no it isn’t.
In the comments,
they reply,
guys
cry, rant and rave
to be right
hogging the light
quoting
dispensing free advice
not once,
but thrice if you only could see
how earnestly
passionately they nearly
finished reading
some book by some guy
inspired by
some other guy on the channel,
I’m here
so I guess my lesson
is there for
me.
C
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A poem
Compressing my emotions, tamping
repressing, never
addressing
those little shards of colored glass
stuck, lodged deeply
in raw flesh.C
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A poem
His lifelong love left him,
her soul soared from this sphere
he was bereft,
left alone with griefs cold touch,
he faded into sepia shades,
no protests made
like a husk, he died within,
with the gentle gust of a westerly wind
he blew away from the grey
back into the light.C
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Light
A song that captures a poignant scene
well remembered lucid dreams
Thoughts grasped, notions understood
herbs flourishing in a pot
A meal cooked and well received
Stories shared and believed
Mastery of fingers over wire and wood
being caught offguard by acts of kindness
parks well maintained for the common good
being noticed for losing weight
a line in Yeats that brings forth a tear
when some soul shares a secret shared fear.
Shadow
To feel lost, at a loose end
simmering sense of total failure
fueling a constant barely subdued rage
to fall for an obvious lure
to tend always to the trivial and obscure
feeling foolish at time wasted
berating myself for having no clear goals
to spend too much, poor impulse control
to feel poor and measure yourself
judgemental stormy moods
to struggle to find kindness in the daily fight.
Chris 2024 -
For the courageous ones
braving gun and club
in the street…
my cowardly soul cries out
for the people,
for the people in the street.
C