Saviour Church, Griboyedova Canal, St Petersburg
SAVIOUR CHURCH, GRIBOYEDOVA CANAL, ST. PETERSBURG
In defiance of its Soviet museum-death
Reflected in water moved by God’s breath
The five-domed Saviour church gives
Hope, for its bulbous gold dome yet lives
Silent spheres sing of new life glowing
With gold-edged scales reflecting, showing
In watery swaying flashes
Like shoals of precious trembling fishes
Each scalloped wavelet free of bondage
A floating rocking hollow image
Each preserving part of dome
Like cell-life survivors, seeking home,
Always dividing, always merging,
A breath behind them always urging
Each insubstantial golden sliver,
This restless gilt amoeba-river.
Passing boat’s wake - the song of cupola,
The surface is alive from passing gondola
Shimmering millioned changing shapes
Countless gold-coin waterscapes
Myriad miracles – smithereens of gilt -
Tremulous treasure, shining spilt
Water calms from images manifold
To cells quiescent, edged in gold.
They coalesce. From many are spun one
Music of the sphere living in the sun
Of God’s golden dome - museum dead -
By the life-giving saviour water of canal fed.
.............................................................
Note.
Ever watched how a reflection of a church or other object in moving water produces small swirling part-images, each undefined but still clearly part of the object's image? It's fascinating.
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