#collegiale notre-dame de mantes-la-jolie
Strange Owl, or The Spirit of Trying
What the heck are you,
You strange, long-necked bird-thing,
Looking down on the square from high
Above the cathedral’s central window?
Someone who had never seen an owl before
Must have been your sculptor;
He was deeply confident in his accuracy,
Much to the likely dismay of his patron.
Wings wide-spread at the center,
Wide-eyed, loudly shouting,
Carrying your song, such as it is,
To the highest of heavens.
Placed where all eyes are drawn to you,
You are a crowning glory,
Clearly intended to convey
The importance of this endeavor.
But I thrice name you differently:
Spirit of Trying,
Spirit of Not-Actually-Failure,
Spirit of Ostentatious Confidence.
For you stand tall and proud in your space,
Awkward and hard to define,
Just like us, when we are at our most assured.
Be with me, Spirit of Trying, as I do my work today.
[Image description: a long-necked owl gargoyle from Collegiale Notre-Dame de Mantes-la-Jolie, by Rev. Michael J Dangler]
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