O Crystal Heart Of France Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

Mary Angela Douglas

Mary Angela Douglas

Little Rock, Arkansas United States of America

O Crystal Heart Of France



to Joan of Arc

o crystal heart of France
the heart is broken
but it cannot shatter

your frayed lily banner in my dreams
still shines with its first snow of the
season's individual light

and I imagine you
freed from all strife in Heaven
standing stock still in
the gentian fields

your bright skirts swirling in
planetary breezes,
newly enchanted by the Fairy Tree-

your father's fleecy sheep just
over the green cloud of a hill
and your mother
gives you fresh baked

bread with butter and honey
remembering all the times you
ran away;

blessing the dual sunrise in your eyes.

yet.
no matter how many times
I've sightread your brief song
I cannot turn that page
so hard and bitter it seems to me:

you crowned the King
but doubting who he was

he let you die
whose heart they could not burn. *
in my dream the words appeared:
oh crystal heart of France
the heart is broken
and will not shatter

but kings are made of glass-

mary angela douglas 19 october 2009


*it is a matter of historical fact reported by the executioner
that they could not reduce the heart of Joan of Arc to ashes even
though several attempts were made with pitch and sulphur after the fact:

It was thrown into the river Seine.

Monday, October 19, 2009
Topic(s) of this poem: History
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Mary Angela Douglas

Mary Angela Douglas

Little Rock, Arkansas United States of America
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