St Bartolomeo
Here is a man flayed of his flesh…alive.
He wears his skin draped as a cloak…
His body tissues
Wrapping round his bones.
And in his hands a Testament,
and gruesome hanging fleshy face.
I thought I had it bad!
In dark dramatic hours of the night
We feel we are the martyrs in our lives.
The pillars of society are tall and grey.
The stone is cold….
The shadow speaks of
ancient bestial ways and of malevolence.
The chill of vengeful cruelty,
Has never changed.
The bloodied bugles of Burundi
play again.
Kristine Byrne 7th Dec. 2018
St Bartolomeo. 16th cent. Cathedral of Milano.