An Icon of St. Margaret

This gold and paint on board, the fillet in her hair—
I see resemblance, yes, a slantways glimpse of her

Though she is gone away—it was not made from life,
For no one is so blithe to pain, as if a laugh

Were trembling on her lips, as if the fur like grass
Along the dragon’s jaw were just a means of grace.

The face is loveliness, but I recall her more 
Lovely still, her spirit like a lamp and mirror

Flushed and glimmering inside the shade of a room.
She glanced at me, the iris at the outer rim

Of the eye looking slantwise, sidelong, attention pricked
By my stare: that was before the grass-green dragon plucked

Her up and gulped her down—now something in me stirs
To think how light she was, a thistledown of stars

That broke into a thousand lights and left this world.
The icon’s cracked. The day she looked at me is old.

—Marly Youmans

Next
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

The USCCB Should Reject Federal Funds

Kevin D. Roberts

On Monday, Pope Francis sent a letter to the bishops of the United States. Criticizing the Trump…

Eliminating DEI from Higher Education

Mark Bauerlein

President Trump’s executive order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” puts colleges and universities on notice. If…

Biden Is the New Francis

Matthew Schmitz

Early in 2016, articles began to appear noting similarities between Pope Francis and Donald Trump. Trump’s promise…