Owl of the Desert
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Chartres

​Chartres Cathedral               nobody calls her
The Basilica of Our Lady              of Chartres

names have a way of falling     to the lowest
denominator              me a homesick pilgrim
a young missionary       stepping into a bible
of sculpted stone           ignoring the famous

stained glass windows           something else
fascinated my eye     carved into the granite
scenes depicting                            Jesus’s life
familiar ones        except one             I stared

—the circumcision                             of Christ

I had not considered it before   was it a holy
moment?    but there it was      in Saint Luke
Chapter 2 Verse 21              how many times
had I read the nativity story        missed this
 
"And when eight days   were accomplished
for the circumcision                    of the child
his name was called                      JESUS—"
 
King James translated                 the name
from Greek     Joshua = Jesus      ironically
for to be Greek was to be    Uncircumcised
 
putting the name                      in ALL CAPS
next to the bit of severed foreskin       as if
shouting the cries                      of the babe
whose genitals                        were gripped
by some unnamed                         priest . . .

who dares cut                 God’s tender flesh
while he is                                     powerless
who asked permission    to place the knife
between                                          his legs?

there I stood                        still as statuary
contemplating                             my hands
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  • Home
  • Poetry
    • Fleeing Egypt >
      • Tower of Babel
      • The Orchard
      • Tithing Settlement
      • Chastity for Churches
      • Sign
      • Cleaning House
      • Elijah
      • Rulers of Sodom
      • Beware
      • Two Churches
      • Beginning At My Sanctuary
      • Toll Road
      • Get it Strait
      • Corporation Sole
      • The Religion of the Circle R
      • Fig Tree
      • Eve
      • New Jerusalem
      • Shemlon's Shore
    • Ascending Sinai >
      • Ark
      • Sin of the Calf
      • An Idol Observation
      • Dew from Heaven
      • I love you, Elder Holland
      • Easter
      • How Sweet
      • Haiku
      • The Barn
      • Patron Saint
      • A Conversation with Brigham Young
      • Mine Testimony
      • The Meadow
      • The Gardens
      • Ice Fishing
      • Without End
      • Forest
      • Continental Divide
      • A Great Sacrifice
    • Promised Land >
      • Lanolin
      • Zion
      • Wisdom
      • Take Up Your Cross
      • Was the Sun the Same
      • Plain and Precious
      • Bridegroom
      • Faith
      • Amos
      • But First
      • Wax
      • Parable of the Piano
      • Repentance
      • Wake Up, Child
      • Cold Storage
      • Covered Wagon
      • Multiply and Replenish
      • Rollercoaster
      • The Baptist
    • Seven Stations of the Cross >
      • Jesus Condemned to Die >
        • Life Signs
        • Fashionable Religion
        • Tithing Declaration
        • A Pretty Important Detail
        • Jesus is All
        • Salt Lake Temple
        • Zion in the Lion's Den
        • High Noon
        • Bookmark
      • Jesus Stumbles and Falls >
        • Unveil
        • But Faith
        • Sifting
        • The Ballerina
        • Credit Declined
        • Prayer Circles
        • Work Out Your Salvation
        • Lovebirds
        • Unrequited
      • Simon of Cyrene Bears the Cross >
        • Proxy
        • Chartres
        • Like the Nile
        • Artificial Intelligence
        • Not Born
        • Parable of the Crossing
      • Women of Jerusalem Weep >
        • With A Price
        • Fields of Asphodel
        • Night
        • Desert Rose
        • Goodbye
        • Spring Snow
      • Jesus Stripped of His Garment >
        • Love Letter
        • I am disquieted
        • Dream
        • Noah's Wife
        • Parable of the Five Sons
        • Eggshell
      • Jesus Nailed to the Cross >
        • This Day
      • Burial and Resurrection
  • Blog
    • Previous Posts >
      • 2025 Posts
      • 2024 Posts
      • 2023 Posts
      • 2022 Posts
      • 2021 Posts
      • 2020 Posts
  • About
  • Contact