Best Notre Poems
Your Spirit Lives
Oh, Notre Dame, sad days have come-
that beast of fire's swift momentum,
brought down your sacred decorum-
but not your heart of Christendom.
Fire does not care- treasure or not,
its blaze destroys- no why or what.
Though you collapsed to ashes, hot-
your soul is not destroyed, forgot.
For, from the fire, God saved your Cross
that shines so brightly midst your loss,
with hope that through this sad chaos,
you'll rise above your albatross.
Oh, Notre Dame, your soul- still bright,
and with saved artifacts, gives might
to house once more your sacred rite-
rebuild again to spread God's light.
Sandra M. Haight
~1st Place~
Contest: Notre Dame In The News
Sponsor: Kim Rodrigues
Judged: 06/06/2019
Notre Dame...Notre Dame...
your eight hundred years of wisdom’s gone;
eight hundred years of beauty strong;
architectural sage, Notre Dame.
Notre Dame your life has seen
so many broken centuries and
oh, the stories your stones could tell,
told by the ringing of your bells.
Will they rebuild you once again?
Will your façade grace more eyes and
then will you be the same as once;
can France’s spirit overcome this loss?
Survivor of revolution and two world wars;
you’ve stood beyond the bombing hoards.
How many strove to give you life?
Their legacy’s now a burning pyre.
One hundred eighty two years of sweat;
poured into stone and minaret.
Gothic, stained glass beauty of Pa-ree,
such blood and sweat poured into thee.
Oh Notre Dame...Notre Dame;
survivor of eight centuries;
what’s now to become of thee?
Written 4-15-19
As an artist, I am sorrowful for this beautiful loss but, glad that no lives were lost. When I think of those who poured their life’s work into Notre Dame’s Beauty, the artist, architects, stonemasons, carpenters and more, I feel an even stronger sense of loss than just that of an
The people gaze in disbelief
As flames engulf the screaming spire.
Raised eyes, transfixed, are full of grief
To witness this ferocious fire.
The very heart of Paris groans
As acrid smoke erupts with ease
And atheists reduced to tears
Console those driven to their knees.
And as the spire comes crashing down
The people gasp in sheer despair
Linked hand in hand and deep in thought.
An eerie stillness fills the air.
09.05.19
Notre Dame in the news poetry contest : sponsored by Kim Rodrigues
Our Lady of Paris
With your ribbed vaults
Flying buttress
And rose colored windows
The Huguenots
The Republicans
Couldn't destroy you
Victor and Quasimodo
Loved you
Napoleon restored you
Fire couldn't destroy you
Your spire fell
But your spirit
Your cross
Still shines
NOTRE DAME IN THE NEWS Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Kim Rodrigues
5/16/19
With a rhythmic spell,
Quasimodo sounds his bell
In his tortured hell,
Esmeralda hears him yell
From his hunchback prison cell.
Hail Mary full of Grace,
In castles, painted stone.
The chairs too small for children now,
The Lord is (somehow) with thee.
Though the faces scorn and mock me.
The angels died with heaven.
Blessed are thou among women
Who look on silently,
Staring into me,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb
Biting, burning like the candles.
Prayers that never left their heads
Jesus.
Gone, gone with the blood soaked cloth
But still lives on in death.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
Birthed was He
Of human woman blood
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Where death takes all to our head
And is Fatal as fighting sleep.
In boxes men un-become their sins
And fight the life they’ve given thee.
Return your flowers to dead souls!
They care not for your pity,
In coffins layered in stone
Mummified corpses only.
Hail the true blood
Hail the power
Hail the bombs that brought the concrete pillars of God
To their knees.
To their death, the dust does settle
And by god do they scream,
Amen.
Hunch Back of Notre dame!
Just because I decided to let go
My back has released me from a hunch that was so overwhelming
I choose to change
I choose to move forward
I choose to her my name being called across the sands of time
I choose her wisdom is her name
I choose her to help me
I choose to stay focus
I choose to let go of distracting people and situations
I choose to hear the strings of destiny
Every chord
Every line written to read
Unbearable at times they were but now
I choose to live
I can actually walk in a straight line
Without tipping over I can hold on to life and not crutches
They did not have to help me because I choose to help myself
They did not have to call me I love myself
They did not have to build me I build myself I encourage myself
In He who created me
I am that I am chose me I did not choose myself
I choose to live and not die
I choose to be set apart
I have never fit, I have always stood out
I am grateful that my posture has finally changed
I see now so clear
HalaluYah I can stand without falling!
A beautiful cathedral of glory
Deep within the heart of Paris is found.
It has become a place of world renowned,
And has a rich cultural history.
It all began in the twelfth century,
When a cornerstone was placed on the ground.
As the building blocks continued to mound,
The workers grew increasingly weary.
After several more decades had passed,
The cathedral stood tall, mighty and vast.
Its stained glass rose windows filled it with light
Every Sunday as the townspeople prayed.
People found peace as the pipe organ played,
And the cross upon the altar shined bright.
I watched Norte Dame cathedral burning
People outside in the streets crying, singing and praying
So sad that this icon was burning
Norte Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
Please do not burn away
Please do not take away our place of worship
Norte Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
You are a symbol of class, grace and culture
Culture for generations of true believers
Norte Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
I hope that the three churches in Louisiana get the same
The same rush to help and to rebuild
The same out pouring of love
The same out pouring of justice
Note Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
Norte Dame is burning and everyone cares
Three churches burned down in Louisiana and I don't see any people in the streets
No crying, No singing, no praying
Louisiana burns and nobody cares or notices
Norte Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
Louisiana churches are burning just like New York was burning with Aids and hatred in the 1980s
The fire still rages but all the attention goes to Paris and Norte Dame
Norte Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
As much as time changes most things stay the same
The only thing that changes is the date on the calendar
What a shame
Most High please stop the Louisiana church burnings and hatred of all kinds
Bless us with cures for these modern day plagues and stop the cathedral from being destroyed
Norte Dame, Norte Dame, Norte Dame
Paris is burning, hypnotized, majestic spire plummets to earth.
My lady's eyes are blind with smoke
And I must stand and watch her burn
I made her out of stone and oak
My lady's eyes are blind with smoke
And flames are catching on her cloak
I pray to God the wind will turn
My lady's eyes are blind with smoke
And I must stand and watch her burn
I made her out of oak and stone
And blue and red and light and glass
My lady mine and mine alone
I made her out of oak and stone
Of blood and sweat and broken bone
But God has spoken ~ all things pass
I made her out of oak and stone
And blue and red and light and glass
Her smoking beauty burns my eyes
But I will raise her up again
Her ashes fill the Paris skies
Her smoking beauty burns my eyes
Behold the Phoenix! See her rise!
What mysteries God speaks to men
Her smoking beauty burns my eyes
But I will raise her up again
© Gail Foster 16th April 2019
Nortre Dame Cathedral,
ancient and regal
devoured by smoke and flame
history lost, stones crumble
who is to blame?
water and flame fight
deep into the April night
Parisians in the streets
watch the lady's defeat
mournful songs fill the smokey air
in the morning, hearts in mourning
will the Grand Dame of Paris still be there?
Never again will Notre Dame grace Paris the same.
Only ashes will remain of the beloved Cathedral.
Tears flow down her people's saddest cheeks as fire
Razes this elegant ancient wooden structure while
Evasive flames burn out of fireman's control.
Devastation looms large as morning dawns
Artifacts irreplaceable and stained glass windows now
Memories of eight hundred years mourned worldwide
Everyone is saddened by her loss as nations pray today.
4-15-19
On the day four beasts fell…
Their tails whipping the sky in smoke
Consumed by their own fire
Such commerce
Brought down an ancient spire
Little did the beasts care
A mighty success 5 years prior
When just one was saved
From confusion and mire
For as the cock crowed
In a mourning flame
If they would’ve recognized a sun
They would’ve known when thearthwon
April 16 2024
April 15 2019
the syrupy smile of
the chimeras and griffins
remove the flesh from our bones
roam the walls of Notre Dame