Gothic Church

On seeing a photograph of Maria Am Gestade Church in Vienna.

This church is tall and slim
Points up to heaven
Concentrates the gaze on sanctuary
The saints in stained glass windows
Looking down
Christ on the cross
The centre
Gold array

No theatre in the round
All eyes look front
Look east look up
Towards the rising sun
Look to heaven
The goal of every journey
The goal of life
The goal when life is done

My little parish church
Had stained glass windows
Made by Meyer
From Bavaria
I looked through them
To what I could not see
Not Hindsford skies
But the heavenly mystery

Thank God for pointy churches
Stained glass windows
For architecture
Pleasing to the eyes
To lead the mind and heart
From this world’s sorrows
To the promise we were given
Paradise

Brian Fahy
30 July 2021