A poetic moment.

After a productive morning's study I headed to Bostons to catch up with a friend this afternoon. Then I had a few minutes before I had to be at another meeting, and since I had next week's text for my medieval module in my bag, I opted to head for the Cathedral and read there. In fact, as sometimes happens (usually when I don't have a pen handy) a vague idea for a poem 'came to me', as the expression goes. SO I rushed off to the Cathedral gift shop, where (uniquely for a gift shop, and as proof that Murphy's law is surprisingly accurate) there was not a tacky souvineer pen to be found. So I had to keep it in the back of my mind.
I was in two minds as to whether to post this poem, but I chose to. It pretty much depicts sitting in the cathedral, reading and watching people as they toured the place. It is deliberately ambiguous - make of it what you will.

Good News

The arches point heaven-wards,

Soaring and plunging like sea-birds,

Every footstep repeated a hundred times,

Every whisper amplified a thousand.

Then, the noise of teenagers

Hairing past, and laughing

Or with speakers in their ears.

A man looks out from the pulpit,

And prays -

Abide with us.

A couple stand in front of some Saint

And light a candle for each loved one.

Listing them loudly.

Then turn around to take some photos,

A man explains to bored school kids

About the building, the organ,

The trappings.

Though evening draws on and

Sky darkens -

Abide with us

People stop, but wonder on.

There is gasping for a moment,

But nothing more.

And as I leave the place and walk back

Out through the open door,

A tramp sits gazing at the building

Lost to the world.

We carry on, we dare not stop to listen,

Nor to care -

Abide with us.