Chapel statue

'Chapel statue' by Rosemary Mathew

'Then am I glad I cannot move, for so much rampant folly would surely strike my stone soul cold, even in this stone body' | Photo: Nick Kimel on Unsplash.

Here on a cool, curled, college wall I stand
between my fellows and above the world,
a still stone figure on a pedestal,   
with a curved, carved canopy sheltering my head.     
Though lifted aloft from the earth, I am              
still much less high than heaven,
for my eyes’ fixed focus ever stares
steady and steadfast, at the glorious gold
and red robes of the saints and prophets
who people the ceiling, there
on the vaulted dome yet further up.

You need to login to read subscriber-only content and/or comment on articles.