Michael Longley
CATHEDRAL
I
Betwee n the bell s a nd praye rs a fl ower- sell e r call s
Prices a nd fl owe r-n ames the dome tra nsla tes to echoes,
As though a pigeon had fl a pped in from the piazza
And perched on the cha li ce a nd sipped the sac rament.
II
Because it was d ragged on a cart to the ca thedral
By unt amed calves, the wooden body has eme rged
From ca ndle-smoke a nd incense and , dressed up as God ,
Moves through the ma rket to loca te those a nimals.
III
The puppy supposed to sugges t a fa ithful wife
H as nearl y n ip ped he r toes for centuri es, a nd begs
To be ta ke n fo r a wa lk out side thi s building
Whe re stones ca t fl esh a nd moonli ght ea ts the stones.
THE SHACK
I li e awake be twee n the two sleepin g coup les.
Their careful brea thin g in the Blue Ridge M oun tains
Di sturbs me more tha n the engine ti cking ove r
At the end o f the la ne, the repetitive whippoo rwill ,
The downpour's crescendo on corruga ted iron .
