Our Lady of Notre Dame

What malice kindled all-consuming fire                          

Vanquishing gift of faith and hope and love?  

Did indifference provoke holy ire                                       

For now flakes of ash like a dying dove                                           Descend swiftly to consecrated earth                 

As a bitter remembrance of things past.                          

Yet even if death does come so does birth                       

Of the true cathedral that has been cast                           

Not lovingly made from wood, glass and stone             

Nor a blessed relic of a crown of thorn                             

But in God’s creations of flesh and bone                         

Holy light reflects in sacred tears born                             

        Falling now drop by drop upon the heart                 
        Comes wisdom through grace of God’s awesome art.

(c) 2019 Yvonne Lorenzo