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| St Patrick’s Cathedral, 2012 |
Visiting NYC on spring break with my family
I insist we pause to see the great city cathedral
iconic place of funerals, weddings, intrigues
both great and small, this must-see sight on
many tourists’ agenda. My companions shrug,
say they’ve seen it before, urge us onward toward
shopping or pub hunting for lunch. We agree
to stop for a few minutes, momentarily forgetting
the noontide hour. A Holy Week Mass is in progress
as faithful from everywhere kneel, stand, sign---
placid, serene faces lift toward the altar.
A youthful-looking priest chants a liturgy
followed by a full-voiced contralto singing praises
heavenward. Shepherd’s Pie, Sam Adams beer,
souvenirs fade as our trio of tourists witness.
Earl J. Wilcox writes about aging, baseball, literary icons, politics, and southern culture. His work appears in more than two dozen journals; he is a regular contributor to The New Verse News. More of Earl's poetry appears at his blog, Writing by Earl.
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