O Crystal Heart Of France

[o Joan of Arc]

[o crystal heart of France

the heart is broken

but it cannot shatter]

your frayed lily banner in my dreams

still shines with its first snow of the

season's individual light

and I imagine you

freed from all strife in Heaven

standing stock still in

the gentian fields

your bright skirts swirling in

planetary breezes,

newly enchanted by the Fairy Tree-

your father's fleecy sheep just

over the green cloud of a hill

and your mother

gives you fresh baked

bread with butter and honey

remembering all the times you

ran away;

blessing the dual sunrise in your eyes.

yet.

no matter how many times

I've sightread your brief song

I cannot turn that page

so hard and bitter it seems to me:

you crowned the King

but doubting who he was

he let you die

a heart they could not burn. *

in my dream the words appeared:

oh crystal heart of France

the heart is broken

and will not shatter

but kings are made of glass-

mary angela douglas 19 october 2009

*it is a matter of historical fact reported by the executioner

that they could not reduce the heart of Joan of Arc to ashes even

though several attempts were made with pitch and sulphur after the fact:It was thrown into the river Seine.