Welcome back to the Daily Poem here in the Close Reeds Podcast Network.

I'm David Kern.

Today's poem is by Willa Kather, an American novelist who lived from 1873 to 1947.

She's most famous for her novels, O Pioneers, The Song of the Lark, and My Antonia.

She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1922 for one of ours, a novel.

But she wrote this poem, which I think is very appropriate for today.

Today's April 16, 2019.

And this poem was recommended by somebody on Facebook who listens to the podcast.

Because on April 15th, Monday, April 15th, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris went up in

flames.

I'm sure by now you've seen pictures if you weren't following it live on social media or on the

news.

But this is a poem that speaks to the beauty and the power

and the grandeur of that cathedral.

I'll go ahead and read it and offer a few brief thoughts

and then read it one more time before I go for the day.

This is how it goes.

Again, it's called Paris, and it's by Willa Cather.

Behind the Arch of Glory sets the day.

The river lies in curves of silver light.

The fields Elysian glitter in a spray of golden dust.

The gilded dome is bright.

...