Upsoaring wings: Motionless and speechless

Haitian-American poet Hébert Logerie wrote “Violence on the Steps of Notre Dame of Paris” in response to an incident in June 2017, when police shot an attacker armed with knives and a hammer at the cathedral.

I’m sharing it today after being transfixed by appalling images of Nôtre Dame engulfed in flames. As of Monday afternoon, EDT, the roof and spire had collapsed and the wooden interior was gutted, although apparently the structure and artwork have been saved.

This is all I can say, because this is violence of another kind, and my heart is broken.

“Violence on the Steps of Notre Dame of Paris”

These days, even in the Holy Cathedral,

We are not safe. What a sad world!

At the shrine of the immaculate virgin of our soul,

We are not at peace. What a scandal!

The fools are everywhere, the criminals are everywhere.

Sometimes, we're motionless and speechless out there.

We can haphazardly measure our actions, our moves, and our steps.

Sadly, we're living where the villains know the ropes and the assets.

Violence is savageous, brutal, inhuman, and even bestial.

We are waiting for the Mighty God to perform many miracles.

The undesirables respect neither the altar nor the tabernacle.

Nevertheless, the pitiful morons will lose the final battle.