Everything about you shone –
First your eyes with fire –
As voices spoke through your brain –
Your blesséd saints shone around you
Such a glory –
Your sword gleamed and glinted –
Your horse’s skin was like a shining mirror;
Where all France could see
The Maid of Domremy
Riding in brilliant armour towards victory –
Your prayers shone, your dark hair – shone –
Your words, your hands, your beads – shone.
Then purity how it was a light
Covering such a proud youthful girl –
They dared call ‘a witch’
Whose belief caused men’s courage
To seem shoddy –
Everything about you shone –
The ground you walked upon
Reflected your heavenly light –
And then as these old fools lit up the
Faggots ‘round the stake
A great flame of eternal light took you away
From your tormentors –
And high above your head –
A halo shone –
Such as men can only dream about!
Shänne Sands, from the selection The Silver Hooves published by FootSteps Press
#poetry