Emily Isaacson

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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.

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