Intercession Nineteen
by Emily Isaacson
The virgins of Luberon held vigil
in the fields where they had played as children,
where the edge of the moon is gold-bitten.
Fields of lavender, fragrant in the mail
of lovers, ethereal becomes coarse,
winter-dry, blooms left to faded purple
as opaque candles of a cathedral
dared flame into the open, a long mass
in December re-welcomed the waiting
who had stood outside, presidents in love,
to lotus princes, austere as priests’ hands.
Frankincense rose from the ground—of late—
they had walked on, in sapphire days’ alcoves
lit by lights, the rose windows to far lands.
Summary of Poem
The poem "Intercession Nineteen" by Emily Isaacson reflects on the Notre-Dame Cathedral, blending imagery of nature, spirituality, and human connection. It describes virgins in Luberon holding vigil in lavender fields, transitioning from childhood innocence to the coarse realities of winter. The cathedral is depicted as a sacred space where candles flame, welcoming worshippers during a December mass. The poem evokes a sense of reverence, with references to presidents, princes, priests, and the rising of frankincense, all illuminated by the cathedral's iconic rose windows.
