Cathedrale St. Joseph de Noumea.

This is for my friend Jean who is having a hard year and now one of our mutual friends is in the process of passing over into the world of mystery.

We went on holiday to Noumea in 1966. My first visit overseas.

1966

The hard cobalt of the sky

and the unrelenting heat

of the mid-day sun

drove her up the wide steps

into the shade of the portal

of the French Cathedral; then

walk further on through

the open doors into the cave

of a cool sanctuary - lit

by a pattern of broken shards

of pure colour scattered

over the pews and knave

from the high surround

of steepled windows:

and up through the floor,

from the walls, from the ceiling,

breathed an Eolian music

from the wandering breeze

that sighs over the singing reeds

of the unattended towering

pipes of the Cathedral organ.

To her, it felt as if the Cathedral,

the time, the colour, the music,

had come into a perfect harmony

then paused,

                   waiting on her arrival.

An hour carefully staged to remind

her soul of their previous love

and lives together – and today’s

gift is to ensure those memories

will stay close to her

through this life as well.

Copyright: Lois E Hunter

lois.e.hunter2@gmail.com